WO2024220512A2

WO2024220512A2 - Packaging assembly for appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2024220512A2
Application number: PCT/US2024/024953
Authority: WO
Inventors: Muhammad Hamza R. ABBASI; Changadevkumar B. DESAI; Ganesh L. MIDGULE; Pritam Dnyaneshwar PATIL; Maria E. GUIA RUIZ; Kunal J. SALUNKE; Umakant S. THAKUR; Shivang SWAROOP; Abdelrahman ABOUZAID; Sarah DIAMANTI; Cristiana Giglioni; Homprakash Hariharan; Samuel David DAYTON; Vikrant A. NANDKHILE
Original assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Current assignee: Whirlpool Corp
Priority date: 2023-04-18
Filing date: 2024-04-17
Publication date: 2024-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-18
Also published as: WO2024220512A3

Abstract

An appliance packaging assembly includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance. The base tray assembly includes a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel. At least one of a base support layer and a perimeter support is disposed on the bottom panel. The perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another. The base support layer or the perimeter support defines locating apertures, and the perimeter support defines a central opening. A cover tray is configured to be disposed over a top of an appliance. Corner supports extend between the base tray and the cover tray.

Description

PACKAGING ASSEMBLY FOR APPLIANCE

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a packaging assembly for an appliance, and more specifically, to paper-based and wood-based packaging assembly for an appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance packaging assembly includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance. The base tray assembly includes a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel. A perimeter support is disposed on the bottom panel. The perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another. The perimeter support defines locating apertures and a central opening. A cover tray is configured to be disposed over a top of an appliance. Corner supports extend between the base tray and the cover tray.

[0003] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a packaging assembly for an appliance includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance. The base tray assembly includes a base tray including a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel. A perimeter support extends adjacent to the sidewalls. The perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another. A cover tray assembly is configured to receive a top of the appliance. The cover tray assembly includes a cover tray including an upper panel and sidewalls extending from the upper panel. The cover tray defines a channel, and a cross brace is disposed within the channel.

[0004] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance packaging assembly includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance, where the base tray assembly includes a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel and a base support layer disposed on the bottom panel and extending along each of the sidewalls. The base support layer defines locating apertures and corner notches. The base tray assembly also includes a lower vertical protector formed of vertically oriented support panels. The lower vertical protector is 1

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) positioned on the base support layer. A cover tray is configured to be disposed over a top of the appliance. An upper protector is coupled to an inner surface of the cover tray. Corner supports extend between the base tray and the cover tray.

[0005] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of packaging an appliance includes forming a base tray from a base blank, forming a perimeter support having multiple layers of at least one of support boards and support panels. The perimeter support defines a central opening. The method also includes positioning the perimeter support on the base tray, positioning an appliance on the perimeter support, positioning corner supports on the base tray and along the appliance, positioning a cross brace to extend between two of the corner supports, and positioning a cover tray over the appliance.

[0006] These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] In the drawings:

[0008] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a packaged appliance assembly including a horizontal axis appliance, according to the present disclosure;

[0009] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded side perspective view of a packaged appliance assembly including a vertical axis appliance, according to the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 4 is a partially exploded side perspective view of a packaging assembly with brace features, according to the present disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a packaging assembly having a cover tray assembly, a base tray assembly, and corner supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with a base tray and a perimeter support, according to the present disclosure; [0015] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a base tray assembly with a base tray and a perimeter support, according to the present disclosure;

[0016] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a base tray assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0017] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a base blank for forming a base tray of a packaging assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG. 11 is a partially exploded side perspective view of a base tray assembly with a base tray and a perimeter support formed of four support sections, according to the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 12 is a partially exploded side perspective view of a perimeter support with four support sections formed of support boards, according to the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the base tray assembly of FIG. 8, taken along line XI-XI, according to the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 14 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with multiple support sections, according to the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a base tray assembly with multiple support sections, according to the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 16 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with multiple support sections and vertical support boards, according to the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 17 is a top plan view of a base tray assembly with multiple support sections and vertical support boards, according to the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 18 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly including a base tray, a perimeter support, and cross members, according to the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 19 is a partially exploded side perspective view of a base tray assembly including a base tray, a perimeter support, cross members, and lower supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 20 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with a perimeter support, a base support layer, and vertical supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 21 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with a base support layer and vertical supports, according to the present disclosure; [0029] FIG. 22 is a side perspective view of a base tray assembly with a base support layer and vertical supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of an appliance positioned on a base tray assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 24 is a side perspective view of a corner support with an inner layer and an outer layer, according to the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 25 is a side perspective view of a corner support with an inner pocket, according to the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 26 is a side perspective view of opposing corner support defining receiving cutouts and interior cavities, according to the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 27 is an enlarged partial view of a corner support defining a receiving cutout and an interior cavity in the corner support, according to the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 28 is a side perspective view of a corner support with a locking feature defining a receiving channel, according to the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 29 is a side perspective view of a corner support defining an upper recessed region, according to the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 30 is a partial top perspective view of a corner support with multiple folded layers on each side, according to the present disclosure;

[0038] FIG. 31 is a side perspective view of a corner support defining a receiving channel and with a flap configured to extend over the receiving channel, according to the present disclosure;

[0039] FIG. 32 is a partial side perspective view of a corner support with an alignment feature, according to the present disclosure;

[0040] FIG. 33 is a top plan view of a blank for forming a folded corner support, according to the present disclosure;

[0041] FIG. 34 is a side perspective view of corner supports with multiple layers and recesses, according to the present disclosure;

[0042] FIG. 35 is a top plan view of a cover blank for forming a cover tray of a packaging assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0043] FIG. 36 is a bottom perspective view of a top cover assembly including a top cover, cross braces, and upper protectors, according to the present disclosure; [0044] FIG. 37 is a partial side perspective view of a cover tray assembly including a cover tray defining a channel and a cross brace positioned in the channel, according to the present disclosure;

[0045] FIG. 38 is a partial side perspective partially exploded view of a cover tray assembly including a cover tray defining a channel and a cross brace to be positioned in the channel, according to the present disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 39 is a partial side elevational view of a cover tray assembly including a cover tray defining a channel and a cross brace positioned in the channel, according to the present disclosure;

[0047] FIG. 40 is a partial bottom perspective view of a cover tray defining a channel and a cross brace positioned in the channel and a corner support between the cross brace and the cover tray, according to the present disclosure;

[0048] FIG. 41 is a top plan view of a cover blank for forming a cover tray with a channel of a packaging assembly, according to the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 42 is a bottom plan view of a cover tray assembly with upper supports defining recesses, according to the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional side perspective view of a cover tray assembly with upper supports defining recesses; according to the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 44 is a side perspective view of opposing corner supports defining inner pockets for receiving a cross brace that extends between the opposing corner supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG. 45 is an enlarged partial view of a corner support with a cross brace positioned within an interior pocket, according to the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG. 46 is a partial side perspective view of a packaging assembly with cross braces extending supported by locking features of opposing corner supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG. 47 is a partially exploded, partial side perspective view of a cross brace and a corner support with the locking feature for receiving the cross brace, according to the present disclosure; [0055] FIG. 48 is a partial side perspective view of corner supports defining upper recessed regions and a cross brace positioned in the upper recessed regions, according to the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG. 49 is a partial side perspective view of a cross brace positioned in an upper recessed region of a corner support, according to the present disclosure;

[0057] FIG. 50 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly with cross braces extending supported by receiving channels of opposing corner supports, according to the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG. 51 is a partial side perspective view of a cross brace positioned in a receiving channel of a corner support, according to the present disclosure;

[0059] FIG. 52 is a partial side perspective view of a corner support defining relief recess for receiving protruding components of an appliance, according to the present disclosure;

[0060] FIG. 53 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly including a shrink film, according to the present disclosure;

[0061] FIG. 54 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly including straps, according to the present disclosure;

[0062] FIG. 55 is a side perspective view of a packaging assembly including straps and an outer envelope in phantom, according to the present disclosure;

[0063] FIG. 56 is an exploded side perspective view of a packaging assembly including cross braces supported between opposing corner positions, an outer envelope configured to be positioned over the corner supports, and straps configured to be positioned about the outer envelope and a base tray assembly, according to the present disclosure; and

[0064] FIG. 57 is a flow diagram of a method of packaging an appliance, according to the present disclosure.

[0065] The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] The present illustrated embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to a packaging assembly for an appliance. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Further, like numerals in the description and drawings represent like elements.

[0067] For purposes of description herein, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," "left," "rear," "front," "vertical," "horizontal," and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in FIG. 1. Unless stated otherwise, the term "front" shall refer to the surface of the element closer to an intended viewer, and the term "rear" shall refer to the surface of the element further from the intended viewer. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

[0068] The terms "including," "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "comprises a . . . " does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

[0069] With reference to FIGS. 1-57, reference numeral 10 generally designates a packaging assembly 10 for an appliance 12, and the packaging assembly 10 includes a base tray assembly 14 configured to receive a bottom 16 of the appliance 12. The base tray assembly 14 includes a base tray 18 having a bottom panel 20 and sidewalls 22a-22d extending from the bottom panel 20. The sidewalls 22a-22d may collectively be referred to herein as sidewalls 22. The base tray assembly 14 also includes a perimeter support 24 disposed on the bottom panel 20. The perimeter support 24 is formed of support boards 26 stacked on one another. The perimeter support 24 defines locating apertures 28, including locating apertures 28a-28d, and a central opening 30. The packaging assembly 10 also includes a cover tray 32 configured to be disposed over a top 34 of the appliance 12 and corner supports 36, including corner supports 36a-36d, extending between the base tray assembly 14 and the cover tray 32.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the packaging assembly 10 is configured to be disposed about the appliance 12 to protect and support the appliance 12 during transport and shipping processes. The packaging assembly 10 includes the base tray assembly 14 with the base tray 18 and the perimeter support 24. The bottom 16 of the appliance 12 is configured to be disposed within an interior of the base tray 18 and on the perimeter support 24. A cover tray assembly 50 is configured to be disposed over the top 34 of the appliance 12. The packaging assembly 10 may also include at least one brace feature 52, which in certain aspects, may be part of the cover tray assembly 50 or, alternatively, may be a separate component that extends between two opposing corner supports 36. The corner supports 36 are positioned in the base tray assembly 14 and extend along corners of the appliance 12 to the cover tray assembly 50. The packaging assembly 10 also includes at least one outer retainer 54, such as the illustrated outer casing 56, which encloses or retains one or more of the base tray assembly 14, the cover tray assembly 50, the corner supports 36, the brace feature 52, and the appliance 12 in position relative to one another. The outer retainer 54 may assist in holding the packaging assembly 10 in position relative to the appliance 12.

[0071] The packaging assembly 10 may have different configurations, such as different shapes or sizes, based on the appliance 12. The appliance 12 in the illustrated configuration of FIG. 1 is a horizontal axis washer, while the appliance illustrated in FIG. 2 is a vertical axis washer. However, it is contemplated that the packaging assembly 10 may be utilized for a variety of appliances 12 including front load or horizontal axis washers, top load or vertical axis washers, combination washer and dryer, dryers, other laundry appliances, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, countertop cooking appliances, and/or other household and commercial appliances.

[0072] Referring still to FIGS. 1-6, the combination of the packaging assembly 10 and the appliance 12 may be referred to as a packaged appliance assembly 60. Various aspects of the packaging assembly 10 may have different configurations to protect against different loads and forces, which can act on the packaged appliance assembly 60 during the transport and shipping processes. For example, after a manufacturing process on the appliance 12 is complete, the appliance 12 is packaged in the packaging assembly 10. Generally, a clamp truck moves the packaged appliance assembly 60, and multiple packaged appliance assemblies 60 are stacked on one another. Each configuration disclosed herein absorbs sufficient load from movement and stacking of the packaged appliance assembly 60 during the transport and shipping processes.

[0073] The cover tray assembly 50, the base tray assembly 14, the corner supports 36, and the brace feature 52, as well as additional lower protectors 62, 64, 66 and base support layer 68 that may be included in the packaging assembly 10 (e.g., generally in the base tray assembly 14), are constructed of wood and/or paper-based materials, such as corrugated or fluted board, honeycomb layer or board, paper board, angle board, wooden blocks, layers of formed paper, or combinations thereof. Accordingly, the packaging assembly 10 includes primarily or entirely wood and paper-based materials and does not include any components that are formed partially or entirely with expanded polystyrene (EPS).

[0074] Referring to FIGS. 7-23, the base tray assembly 14 generally includes at least the base tray 18 and one or more of the perimeter support 24, the lower protectors 62, 64, 66, and the base support layer 68. The base tray 18 is formed to have the bottom panel 20 and the sidewalls 22 extending from the bottom panel 20 to define the interior of the base tray 18. The base tray 18 includes four sidewalls 22a-22d, forming a generally square or rectangular shape. The first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b oppose one another and are illustrated as front and rear walls. The third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d oppose one another and extend between the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b. The third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d are illustrated as sides of the base tray 18. However, the base tray 18 may be used with the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b as the lateral sides and the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d as the front and rear walls without departing from the teachings herein.

[0075] The first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b generally have a consistent height relative to the bottom panel 20. In comparison, the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d can each define a cutout 70, 72 that extends from an upper edge thereof and toward the bottom panel 20, such as the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 7-19. In such examples, each of the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d defines at least two heights relative to the bottom panel 20. In the illustrated configuration of FIGS. 7-19, the third sidewall 22c has a different configuration than the fourth sidewall 22d. The third sidewall 22c has the single cutout 70, which is off-center and defined closer to the second sidewall 22b than the first sidewall 22a. The cutout 70 may be defined from a location aligned with a forward edge of the central opening 30 defined by the perimeter support 24 to a location aligned with the locating apertures 28c, 28d proximate to the second sidewall 22b. Other configurations of the cutout 70 and/or the third sidewall 22c are contemplated without departing from the teachings herein.

[0076] The fourth sidewall 22d includes the cutout 72, which is an elongated middle cutout 72 defined between two projections 80, 82. The middle cutout 72 may extend longer than the cutout 70 of the third sidewall 22c, extending between a location aligned with the locating apertures 28a, 28b proximate to the first sidewall 22a to a location aligned with the locating apertures 28c, 28d proximate to the second sidewall 22b. A height of the fourth sidewall 22d in the middle cutout 72 may be generally the same as the height of the third sidewall 22c in the cutout 70.

[0077] Outer portions 84, 86 of the fourth sidewall 22d have a height that is the same or similar as the third sidewall 22c outside of the cutout 70. Between the outer portions 84, 86 and the middle cutout 72, the fourth sidewall 22d defines the projections 80, 82, respectively. The projections 80, 82 extend to a height greater than the outer portions 84, 86. The projections 80, 82 each have a rounded outer corner to the outer portions 84, 86, respectively, and a sharp inner corner to the middle cutout 72. The first projection 80 is generally longer than the second projection 82. The projections 80, 82 may extend to a height that is substantially similar as the height of the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b. Other configurations of the fourth sidewall 22d are contemplated without departing from the teachings herein.

[0078] Moreover, the third sidewall 22c and the fourth sidewall 22d may have the same configuration without departing from the teachings herein. It is also contemplated that all four sidewalls 22a-22b may have a consistent height, such as the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 20-22.

[0079] Referring still to FIG. 10, the base tray 18 is formed from folding a base blank 90. In various aspects, the base blank 90 is a C-flute corrugated board. The base blank 90 includes a central portion 92, which forms the bottom panel 20, and four side portions 94a-94d, which form the sidewalls 22, respectively. The first and second side portions 94a, 94b each have an outer section 102, 104 and an inner section 106, 108, respectively. Each inner section 106, 108 is separated from the central portion 92 by a respective first fold line 110, 112 and separated from the outer section 102, 104 by a respective second fold line 114, 116. The first and second side portions 94a, 94b are configured to fold at the first fold lines 110, 112 to extend perpendicular to the central portion 92. The outer sections 102, 104 are configured to fold inwards, along the second fold lines 114, 116 to extend parallel to the inner sections 106, 108. Tabs 118, 120 defined by the outer sections 102, 104 are disposed in apertures 122, 124 defined proximate to the first fold lines 110, 112, respectively, to retain the first and second side portions 94a, 94b as the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b.

[0080] The third and fourth side portions 94c, 94d are also formed similarly to one another. The third side portion 94c includes a center section 130 and opposing side wings 132, 134, where the opposing side wings 132, 134 are separated from the center section 130 by fold lines 136, 138, respectively. Similarly, the fourth side portion 94d includes a center section 142 and opposing side wings 144, 146, where the opposing side wings 144, 146 are separated from the center section 142 by fold lines 148, 150, respectively. The center sections 130, 142 are configured to fold along respective fold lines 154, 156 to extend perpendicular to the central portion 92. The side wings 132, 134 of the third side portion 94c fold to extend toward the fourth side portion 94d, and the side wings 144, 146 of the fourth side portion 94d fold to extend toward the third side portion 94c.

[0081] The front side wings 132, 146 are disposed between the outer section 102 and the inner section 106 of the first side portion 94a, while the rear side wings 134, 146 are disposed between outer section 104 and the inner section 108 of the second side portion 94b. The third and fourth side portions 94c, 94d are configured to fold into the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d. The engagement of the tabs 118, 120 in the apertures 122, 124 retains the first and second side portions 94a, 94b in the folded configuration, which, consequently, retains the third and fourth side portions 94c, 94d in the folded configuration to form the base tray 18.

[0082] Referring again to FIGS. 7-13, the perimeter support 24 is disposed on the bottom panel 20 within the interior of the base tray 18. The perimeter support 24 extends along each sidewall 22 of the base tray 18. The base tray 18 generally forms a square shape, and the perimeter support 24 forms a smaller square shape abutting each sidewall 22.

[0083] In the illustrated configuration, the perimeter support 24 is generally formed in four support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 that collectively define the central opening 30. Each of the four support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 is formed from multiple support boards 26 stacked on one another. The support boards 26 are generally fluted boards or portions of a fluted panel that are arranged horizontally and stacked in a vertical arrangement to form a lower cushion layer for the bottom 16 of the appliance 12. The support boards 26 may be separate panels that are cut into separate support boards 26, stacked on one another, and coupled together. Alternatively, the support boards 26 may be portions of a single panel that is folded over multiple times to form layers of support boards 26 in the vertically stacked configuration. Each section 170, 172, 174, 176 is formed from multiple layers of support boards 26 to provide the cushioning effect for the appliance 12. In a non-limiting example, each section 170, 172, 174, 176 includes six layers of support boards 26 to provide cushion to the appliance 12, while balancing an overall height of the packaged appliance assembly 60.

[0084] The first and second support sections 170, 172 are illustrated as front and rear sections of the perimeter support 24. In the illustrated configuration, the first support section 170 has a greater depth than the second support section 172, which is advantageous for certain configurations of appliances 12, such as the exemplary horizontal axis washer. In such examples, the packaging assembly 10 for the horizontal axis washer has a deeper front support section 170 than rear support section 172 due to the configuration and location of an appliance door (see, for example, FIG. 16). This configuration provides additional space at a front of the packaging assembly 10 for positioning the appliance door between the base tray assembly 14 and the cover tray assembly 50, reducing protruding components.

[0085] Each of the first and second support sections 170, 172 defines two locating apertures 28, which are disposed proximate to corners of the base tray 18. In this way, the perimeter support 24 defined four locating apertures 28 in corners thereof. The locating apertures 28 are configured to receive feet of the appliance 12 to reduce front- to-rear and side-to-side movement of the appliance 12 when assembled in the packaging assembly 10. The locating apertures 28 generally extend through each layer of the first and second support sections 170, 172 (i.e., through each support board 26). However, it is contemplated that some of the support boards 26 may define the locating apertures 28 while others, such as lower support boards 26 in the first and second support sections 170, 172, do not define the locating apertures 28. The locating apertures 28 generally define a circular or oblong shape based on the shape of the feet of the appliance 12.

[0086] The first support section 170 also defines receiving apertures 180. The receiving apertures 180 are illustrated as rectangular or square apertures 180, but other shapes are contemplated. In various aspects, the appliance 12 may have downwardly extending protrusions proximate to the front of the appliance 12. In such examples, the protrusions may be susceptible to deformation or damage when pressed against other components. Accordingly, the receiving apertures 180 are configured to receive such protrusions to reduce or prevent damage to these protrusions during the shipping and transport processes. The receiving apertures 180 may be discrete apertures, may be extensions of the locating apertures 28, or combinations thereof. Similar to the locating apertures 28, the receiving apertures 180 may extend through each layer of the first support section 170 (i.e., each support board 26) or extend through some of the support boards 26 without departing the teachings herein. The shape, size, and location of the receiving apertures 180 may differ based on the appliance 12.

[0087] Referring still to FIGS. 7-13, each of the first and second support sections 170, 172 defines corner notches 182 at outer corners thereof. The corner notches 182 may be defined along two adjacent and intersecting edges to form an L-shaped recessed region along the outer corners of the first and second support sections 170, 172. The recessed regions are positioned adjacent to the corners of the base tray 18 to define L-shaped receiving spaces between the perimeter support 24 and the base tray 18. The outer corners of the first and second support sections 170, 172 defined by the corner notches 182 may be sharp or rounded without departing from the teachings herein. The size and shape of the corner notches 182 may depend on the configuration of the corner supports 36.

[0088] The first support section 170 extends along the first sidewall 22a, as well as from the third sidewall 22c to the fourth sidewall 22d of the base tray 18. The second support section 172 extends along the second sidewall 22b, as well as from the third sidewall 22c to the fourth sidewall 22d of the base tray 18. The third and fourth support sections 174, 176 are configured to extend between the first and second support sections 170, 172. Accordingly, the third support section 174 extends along the third sidewall 22c and from the first support section 170 to the second support section 172. The fourth support section 176 extends along the fourth sidewall 22d and from the first support section 170 to the second support section 172. The third and fourth support sections 174, 176 may be coupled to the first and second support sections 170, 172 via an interference fit, adhesive, staples, or other coupling methods.

[0089] The four support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 of the perimeter support 24 are configured to define the central opening 30. Based on the configuration of the four support sections 170, 172, 174, 176, the central opening 30 generally has a square or rectangular shape. The central opening 30 provides space between the base tray 18 and the bottom 16 of the appliance 12. This configuration also utilizes less material to maximize manufacturing efficiency and efficiency in use of the materials for forming the packaging assembly 10, as well as decreasing weight of the packaged appliance assembly 60. Based on the different depths of the first and second support sections 170, 172, the central opening 30 may be defined off-center, closer to the rear sidewall 22b of the base tray 18.

[0090] In various examples, each support section 170, 172, 174, 176 of the perimeter support 24 has a same number of support boards 26 of a same thickness to define a generally co-planar top surface for supporting the appliance 12. In a non-limiting example, the perimeter support 24 includes about six layers of support boards 26. A combined height of the support boards 26 or a height of the perimeter support 24 is less than a height of the sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18, including the heights defined in the cutouts 70, 72, as illustrated in FIG. 13. Accordingly, the height of the sidewalls 22 in the cutouts 70, 72 is greater than the height of the perimeter support 24 to assist in retaining the appliance 12 in the base tray assembly 14. The sidewalls 22 assist in reducing or preventing movement of the appliance 12 when positioned on the base tray assembly 14.

[0091] According to various aspects, the support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 may have different numbers of support boards 26 and/or be formed with support boards 26 of different thicknesses. In such examples, the perimeter support 24 may not be uniform on all sides. This configuration may be advantageous for when the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 is on different planes. For example, the number of support boards 26 may vary in each support section 170, 172, 174, 176 to each abut a portion of the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 along different planes and at different heights. Additionally or alternatively, the thickness of some or all of the support boards 26 in the different support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 may have different thicknesses to provide cushioning support for an uneven bottom geometry of the appliance 12. Whether the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 is uniform, uneven, or a combination thereof, the perimeter support abuts the bottom of the appliance 12 to provide a cushioning effect.

[0092] Having four separate support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 for the perimeter support 24 allows for different directions of fluting in the different support sections 170, 172, 174, 176 to increase the support and rigidity of the perimeter support 24. In various aspects, the perimeter support 24 is formed of fluted support boards 26. The fluting for each section 170, 172, 174, 176 extends along a longitudinal extent of the support boards 26. In this way, the fluting of the first and second support sections 170, 172, indicated by arrow 190, are parallel to one another and the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b of the base tray 18, and the fluting of the third and fourth support sections 174, 176, indicated by arrow 192, are parallel to one another and the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d of the base tray 18.

[0093] The fluting of the third and fourth support sections 174, 176 is generally normal to the fluting in the first and second support sections 170, 172. This fluting in the two directions 190, 192 assists with resisting clamping forces in multiple directions on the base tray assembly 14 and increases protection for the appliance 12. The corrugated or fluted board is stronger in the direction of the fluting and resists damage during clamping of the packaged appliance assembly 60. While the perimeter support 24 is illustrated as four sections 170, 172, 174, 176, it is contemplated that the perimeter support 24 may be formed of support boards 26 that include the four sections 170, 172, 174, 176 as a single or unitary component without departing from the teachings herein.

[0094] The size of various aspects of the packaging assembly 10 may differ based on the appliance 12. Disclosed herein are exemplary sizes for packaging the horizontal axis washer. For example, each support board 26 has a thickness A in a range between about 3 mm and about 10 mm. Generally, the perimeter support 24 is formed of about five or six support boards 26, resulting in a thickness B in a range between about 15 mm and about 60 mm. The first and second support sections 170, 172 have an inner length C in a range between about 650 mm and about 750 mm and an outer length D between the corner notches 182 in a range between about 425 mm and about 525 mm. The third and fourth support sections 174, 176 have a length E of (i.e., between the first and second support sections 170, 172) in a range between about 325 mm and about 425 mm, and a width F in a range between about 75 mm and about 175 mm. The central opening 30 has a length G between the first and second support sections 170, 172 in a range between about 400 mm and about 500 mm, and a width H between the third and fourth support sections 174, 176 in a range between about 325 mm and about 425 mm.

[0095] With reference again to FIGS. 14 and 15, an additional or alternative configuration of the perimeter support 24 is illustrated, which is formed of four support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 that collectively defined the central opening 30, similar to the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 11-13. Each of the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 is formed from multiple support boards 26 stacked on one another. The support boards 26 are generally fluted boards or portions of fluted panels, such as B-flute, C-flute, and/or B/C-flute boards, that are arranged horizontally and stacked in a vertical arrangement to form a lower cushion layer for the bottom 16 of the appliance 12. The support boards 26 may be separate boards 26 coupled (e.g., adhered) together or a single panel that is folded over to form layers of boards 26. [0096] Each support section 200, 202, 204, 206 is formed from multiple layers of support boards 26 to provide the cushioning effect for the appliance 12. Similar to the configuration in FIGS. 11-13, the first and second support sections 200, 202, are illustrated as front and rear sections, and the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 are illustrated as lateral side sections. The front support section 200 has a greater depth and greater width than the rear support section 202. This configuration provides additional space and support for the front of the appliance 12. For example, for appliances 12 with doors on the front (e.g., horizontal axis washers, dryers, etc.), the additional space allows the door to be positioned between the base tray assembly 14 and the cover tray 32, reducing protruding components and increasing the protection for the appliance 12.

[0097] The first support section 200 extends along the first sidewall 22a of the base tray 18 between the third sidewall 22c and the fourth sidewall 22d. As illustrated, the first support section 200 is spaced from the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d to assist in defining corner notches 210, including corner notches 210a-210d, as described herein. The second support section 202 extends parallel to the first support section 200 and proximate to the second sidewall 22b of the base tray 18. The second support section 202 is generally spaced from the second sidewall 22b, the third sidewall 22c, and the fourth sidewall 22d. In this way, the second support section 202 may not abut any of the sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18.

[0098] Referring still to FIGS. 14 and 15, the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 are configured to extend between the first support section 200 and the second sidewall 22b of the base tray 18. The third support section 204 extends along the third sidewall 22c from the first support section 200 to the second sidewall 22b. The fourth support section 206 extends parallel to the third support section 204 and from the first support section 200 to the second sidewall 22b. Accordingly, each of the first, third, and fourth support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 engage at least one sidewall 22 of the base tray assembly 14, assisting with retaining the perimeter support 24 in a select position on the base tray 18.

[0099] The four support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 are configured to define the central opening 30, which is illustrated with a rectangular shape. The central opening 30 provides space between the base tray 18 and the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 and utilizes less material for the perimeter support 24. Less material in the packaging assembly 10 may be advantageous for reducing the weight of the overall packaged appliance assembly 60 for the shipping process.

[00100] Referring still to FIGS. 14 and 15, the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 may be positioned on the base tray 18 in a manner that retains the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 in position relative to one another and the base tray 18, such as with an interference and/or interlocking fit. In the illustrated configuration, the first support section 200 defines first and second receiving recesses 216, 218. The receiving recesses 216, 218 are defined by an inner edge (i.e., oriented toward the second sidewall 22b when positioned on the base tray 18) and extend to outer side edges of the first support section 200, respectively.

[00101] The third support section 204 engages the first support section 200 in the first receiving recess 216, and the fourth support section 206 engages the first support section 200 in the second receiving recess 218. The widths of the receiving recesses 216, 218 and the space between the first support section 200 and the sidewalls 22c, 22d, respectively, generally correspond with widths of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206, forming an interlocking fit to reduce movement of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206. Further, the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 extend to and engage the second sidewall 22b, which assists with reducing movement of each of the first, third, and fourth support sections 200, 204, 206.

[00102] Additionally, the second support section 202 extends between and engages the third support section 204 and the fourth support section 206. Generally, the second support section 202 engages the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 in an interference fit, which reduces movement of each of the second, third, and fourth support sections 202, 204, 206. The engagements between the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 and the sidewalls 22 assist with retaining the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 in position, which is advantageous for forming various features, such as locating apertures 220.

[00103] Referring still to FIGS. 14 and 15, the perimeter support 24 defines the locating apertures 220, including locating apertures 220a-220d, proximate to corners of the base tray 18 for receiving the feet of the appliance 12. The locating apertures 220 generally extend through each layer (i.e., each support board 26) of the perimeter support 24; however, it is contemplated that some of the support boards 26 may define the locating apertures 220 while others may not (e.g., forming recesses in the perimeter support 24). The front locating apertures 220a, 220b are defined at an interface between the first support section 200 and the third support section 204 and an interface between the first support section 200 and the fourth support section 206, respectively.

[00104] The first support section 200 defines a locating cutout 222 on the inner edge in each receiving recess 216, 218. The third and fourth support sections 204, 206 each define a mating locating cutout 224, 226, which is configured to mate with one of the locating cutouts 222 of the first support section 200 to define the locating apertures 220. The locating cutouts 222 and the mating locating cutouts 224, 226 are each generally a semicircular or half-oval shape to define circular or oblong locating apertures 220a, 220b. The interlocking engagement between the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 assists in maintaining the alignment between the first support section 200 and the third and fourth support sections 204, 206, which is advantageous for forming and maintaining the front locating apertures 220a, 220b. The rear locating apertures 220c, 220d are defined by the third and fourth support sections 204, 206, respectively proximate to an interface with the second support section 202.

[00105] The perimeter support 24 also defines the corner notches 210 along outer corners thereof. For the front corner notches 210a, 210b, the first support section 200 has a width that is less than a width between the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d and defines recessed regions adjacent to the front sidewall 22a and the outer side edges. Further, the first support section 200 defines an angled edge between the outer side edge and the edge in the front recessed region to define the generally L-shaped corner notches 210a, 210b. Additionally, the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 also partially form the front corner notches 210a, 210b based on the lesser width of the first support section 200. The front corner notches 210a, 210b may be defined along two or three adjacent and intersecting edges to form L-shaped recessed regions and, consequently, L-shaped receiving spaces. [00106] The third and fourth support sections 204, 206 define L-shaped recessed regions along outer, adjacent edges to form the rear, L-shaped corner notches 210c, 210d. The recessed regions of the first, third, and fourth support sections 200, 204, 206 are positioned at corners to form the L-shaped receiving spaces for receiving the corner supports 36 between the perimeter support 24 and the corners of the base tray 18. The outer corners of the support sections 200, 204, 206 defined by the corner notches 210 may be sharp or rounded without departing from the teachings herein. The size and shape of the corner notches 210 may depend on the configuration of the corner supports 36. For example, the L-shaped corner notches 210 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 may be larger to receive larger and/or thicker corner supports 36 compared to the configuration in FIGS. 11-13.

[00107] Referring still to FIGS. 14 and 15, each of the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 in the illustrated configuration also defines additional cutouts or recesses 230 along inner edges thereof, which form extensions of the central opening 30. These recesses 230 may be advantageous for receiving features that protrude from the appliance 12. The recesses 230 may be different sizes or shapes or in different locations, which may depend on the configuration of the appliance 12.

[00108] The support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 may not have the same number of support boards 26, having different thicknesses to support the appliance 12. For example, the first support section 200 may include seven layers of support boards 26, while the second, third, and fourth support sections 202, 204, 206 include six layers of support boards 26. This configuration provides an increased thickness at the front of the base tray assembly 14 for providing more support for appliances 12 that have increased weight at the front of the appliance 12. Additionally, the increased thickness of the first support section 200 compared to the second support section 202 assists with counterbalancing the appliance 12 and accounting for stacking load of multiple stacked packaged appliance assemblies 60.

[00109] The sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18 may have different heights to support the increased thickness of the perimeter support 24 and support the appliance 12. For example, with a thicker perimeter support 24, or at least a portion of the perimeter support 24 having an increased thickness, the sidewalls 22 may have an increased height to extend beyond the thicker perimeter support 24 (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 54 compared to FIG. 55.)

[00110] Similar to the configuration in FIGS. 7-13, the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 having the four separate support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 allows for different directions of fluting in different support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 to increase the support and rigidity of the perimeter support 24. In various aspects, each of the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206 is formed of fluted support boards 26 with the fluting extending along a lateral extent of the support boards 26 (e.g., in the shorter direction of the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206). The fluting in the first and second support sections 200, 202, indicated by arrow 240, are parallel to one another and with the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d of the base tray 18.

[00111] Similarly, the fluting of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206, indicated by arrow 242, are parallel to one another and with the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b of the base tray 18. In this way, the fluting in the first and second support sections 200, 202, extends in a front-to-back direction, and the fluting of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 extends in a side-to-side direction, normal to the fluting in the first and second support sections 200, 202, which is opposite of the configuration in FIGS. 7-13. The two different fluting directions 240, 242 assist with resisting clamping forces in multiple directions to increase the protection of the appliance 12. Additionally, the fluting extending in the shorter direction of the support boards 26 may increase the strength and rigidity of the support boards 26 and, consequently, the perimeter support 24.

[00112] Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, an additional or alternative configuration of the perimeter support 24 is illustrated, which is substantially similar to the perimeter support 24 illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 with additional vertical components interlocked with the third and fourth support sections 204, 206. The third and fourth support sections 204, 206 each define outer cutouts 250, which extend from outside edges of the support sections 204, 206 adjacent to the respective sidewall 22c, 22d and extend toward the central opening 30. In the illustrated configuration, each of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 includes two outer cutouts 250. [00113] Vertically oriented support boards 252 are disposed within the outer cutouts 250. Generally, the vertical support boards 252 are formed similarly to the horizontally arranged support boards 26, generally being B-flute, C-flute, and/or B/C-flute corrugated board. The vertical support boards 252 are disposed side-stacked configuration within the outer cutouts 250. The vertical support boards 252 have a height that is generally equal to a thickness of the third and fourth support sections 204, 206, such that the vertical support boards 252 are generally aligned or flush with a top support board 26 of the support sections 204, 206. In this way, the vertical support boards 252 generally do not extend substantially above the third and fourth support sections 204, 206 to maintain a generally flat surface for supporting the bottom 16 of the appliance 12.

[00114] The vertical support boards 252 define or include the fluting, indicated by arrow 256, which extends in a vertical direction, upwards from the bottom panel 20 of the base tray 18. The vertically extending fluting acts as a support for vertical compression and load, which assists in reducing horizontal compression of the perimeter support 24 by the weight of the appliance 12 and/or additional stacked packaged appliance assemblies 60.

[00115] In comparison to the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 may have fewer layers of support boards 26 in the perimeter support 24 due to the additional support provided by the vertical support boards 252. For example, the first support section 200 may include five layers of support boards 26 and the second, third, and fourth support sections 202, 204, 206 may include four layers of support boards 26. This is generally two fewer layers of support board 26 compared to the configuration in FIGS. 14 and 15, which can reduce the weight of the packaging assembly 10 and reduce materials utilized while providing similar or the same support for the appliance 12. The perimeter support 24 without the vertical support boards 252, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, may have an increased number of layers of boards 26 in the perimeter support 24 to increase the resistance to vertical compression that may occur by the appliance 12 or stacked packaged appliance assemblies 60.

[00116] Referring again to FIGS. 14-17, the first support section 200 in these configurations includes at least one additional layer of support board 26 compared to the other three support sections 202, 204, 206. This may be advantageous for certain types of appliances 12, such as dryers. For example, dryers may have more weight in the front of the appliance 12 compared to a rear or back of the appliance 12. The additional layers of support board 26 in the first support section 200 provide additional support for the heavier front of the appliance 12. The configuration of the appliance 12, such as the weight, the position of the door, etc. may affect the thickness and shape of the support sections 200, 202, 204, 206.

[00117] With reference again to FIGS. 18 and 19, an alternative configuration of the base tray assembly 14 is illustrated, which includes the perimeter support 24 and cross members 300a, 300b, 300c, collectively referred to herein as cross members 300. The perimeter support 24 includes multiple layers of support panels 302 arranged horizontally, stacked vertically on one another, and coupled together to provide a lower cushion. The support panels 302 are generally fluted boards that are adhered or otherwise coupled together. The support panels 302 extend along each of the four sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18 when positioned on the bottom panel 20 and can define a generally square shape. The support panels 302 include first and second portions 304, 306, which are generally front and rear portions, and third and fourth portions 308, 310, forming side portions extending between the front and rear portions. The portions 304, 306, 308, 310 of the support panels 302 define the central opening 30, which has a generally square shape.

[00118] The first and second portions 304, 306 each define the locating apertures 28 extending through some or all of the layers of the support panels 302. The locating apertures 28 are disposed proximate to the corners of the base tray 18. A width of outer edges of the first and second portions 304, 306 is less than a width defined by side edges of the third and fourth portions 308, 310 to define the corner notches 182. The first portion 304 may also define receiving apertures 180.

[00119] The side portions 308, 310 of the perimeter support 24 define alternating receiving notches 312 and projections 314. The projections 314 are configured to abut or be disposed adjacent to the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d of the base tray 18. The receiving notches 312 extend inward from outer side edges, into the side portions 308, 310, and toward the central opening 30. Each of the receiving notches 312 may have a generally similar configuration and are separated from the central opening 30 by insertion sections 316 of the perimeter support 24. [00120] The receiving notches 312 and the insertion sections 316 form an interlocking engagement with the cross members 300. Generally, there are three cross members 300a-300c in the base tray assembly 14. Each cross member 300 is formed of multiple support plates 318, typically constructed of corrugated or honeycomb board. The support plates 318 are arranged vertically and side-stacked relative to one another. In this way, edges of each support plate 318 abut the bottom 16 of the appliance 12, supporting a load from the appliance 12. In various aspects, the perimeter support 24 includes about five support panels 302, while each cross member 300 includes about 10 support plates 318. The support plates 318 may be adhered to or otherwise coupled to one another to form the cross members 300.

[00121] The cross members 300 each include outer retaining features 320, which extend through the receiving notches 312 and above the perimeter support 24 to assist in limiting side-to-side movement of the appliance 12. The cross members 300 also define two slots 322, 324 for receiving the insertion sections 316 of the perimeter support 24. In this way, the cross members 300 are generally disposed in the receiving notches 312, extend below the insertion sections 316, and extend across the central opening 30 to form the interlocking engagement with the perimeter support 24. The vertically oriented support plates 318 assist in absorbing load from the appliance 12, while the horizontally oriented support panels 302 provide cushioning for the appliance 12. Further, the support plates 318 resist deformation, increasing structural rigidity of the base tray assembly 14.

[00122] The base tray assembly 14 may also include the additional lower protectors 62, 64, which are generally positioned in front of and behind the appliance 12 adjacent to the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b. This positioning assists with reducing or preventing front-to-back movement of the appliance 12. The lower protectors 62, 64 are configured to be disposed on the perimeter support 24 and may have different configurations based on the location and the appliance 12. For example, the front lower protector 62 is illustrated with an arced inner surface, while the second lower protector 64 includes a linear inner surface. Generally, the additional lower protectors 62, 64 are formed of or constructed as honeycomb board protectors 62, 64. In a non-limiting example, the honeycomb board protectors 62, 64 have a cell size of about 10 mm and a thickness of about 15 mm. The additional lower protectors 62, 64 may be used with the base tray assembly 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 7-13, the base tray assembly 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 14-17, and the base tray assembly 14 as illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19.

[00123] Referring to FIGS. 20-22, an alternative configuration of the base tray assembly 14 is illustrated, which includes the base support layer 68. The base tray 18 may be formed from in a similar manner as described for the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 7-19. Additionally or alternatively, the base tray 18 may include inner flaps 330 that are positioned on and/or coupled to the base support layer 68 and/or the perimeter support 24, as illustrated in FIG. 20.

[00124] The base support layer 68 is generally positioned on the bottom panel 20 of the base tray 18. The base support layer 68 generally extends along each of the sidewalls 22a-22d, forming a generally continuous surface in a space defined by the base tray 18. The base support layer 68 is generally constructed of a honeycomb layer or multiple honeycomb layers vertically stacked on top of one another. The honeycomb layer(s) may provide additional force absorption and increased cushioning in the base tray assembly 14.

[00125] The base support layer 68 defines locating apertures 332, including locating apertures 332a-332d, proximate to the corners of the base tray 18 for receiving the feet of the appliance 12. The locating apertures 332 may extend through the base support layer 68 to the base tray 18 or partially through the base support layer 68 (e.g. forming recesses in the base support layer 68).

[00126] Additionally, the base support layer 68 also defines corner notches 334 along outer corners thereof. The corner notches 334, including corner notches 334a-334d, are generally formed by intersecting recesses on side edges of the base support layer 68, respectively. Accordingly, the corner notches 334 form "L" shapes, which assists in refining L-shaped receiving spaces between the base tray 18 and the base support layer 68 for the corner supports 36.

[00127] In the example illustrated in FIG. 20, the base support layer 68 forms a generally continuous layer across the bottom panel 20. The base tray assembly 14 also includes the perimeter support 24, which is positioned on top of the base support layer 68. The perimeter support 24 is formed of four support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 forming the central opening 30 exposing the base support layer 68. Similar to the configurations illustrated with respect to FIGS. 7-19, the support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 extend along the respective sidewall 22a-22d of the base tray 18. The first and second support sections 336, 338 are illustrated as front and rear sections, and the third and fourth support sections 340, 342 are illustrated as lateral side sections. In certain aspects, the first and second support sections 336, 338 are mirror images of one another, and the third and fourth support sections 340, 342 are mirror images of one another. The configuration of each support section 336, 338, 340, 342 may be the same, different, or in different combinations of matching components without departing from the teachings herein.

[00128] Each support section 336, 338, 340, 342 is generally constructed of one or more layers of support boards 26. The support boards 26 may be a fluted board, such as B- flute, C-flute, and/or B/C -flute boards, that are arranged horizontally and stacked in a vertical arrangement to form the lower cushion layer for the bottom 16 of the appliance 12. Additionally or alternatively, the support boards 26 may be honeycomb boards. Generally, the support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 extend along the respective sidewall 22a-22d and may not cover or impede the locating apertures 332 or the corner notches 334 of the base support layer 68.

[00129] The support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 of the perimeter support 24 include additional cutouts or recesses 350 along inner edges thereof, which may form extensions of the central opening 30 defined by the perimeter support 24. These recesses 350 may be in each layer of support board 26 to form a recess 350 through the perimeter support 24 to the base support layer 68 and/or in some of the layers of support boards 26 such that the recess 350 does not extend fully to the base support layer 68. The recesses 350 may be advantageous for receiving features that protrude from the appliance 12. The recesses 350 may be different sizes or shapes and may be different in location or quantity depending on the configuration of the appliance 12.

[00130] The perimeter support 24 is positioned on the base support layer 68. In this way, the perimeter support 24 and the base support layer 68 form the lower cushioning for the appliance 12. The perimeter support 24 may be adhered to or otherwise coupled to the base support layer 68. Additionally or alternatively, the support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 may be around the locating apertures 332 and corner notches 334 to engage opposing sidewalls 22, respectively, to assist in retaining the position of the support sections 336, 338, 340, 342 relative to the base tray 18 and the base support layer 68.

[00131] Additionally or alternatively, in the example illustrated in FIG. 20, the base tray 18 includes the inner flaps 330 extending towards the center of the base tray assembly 14. These inner flaps 330 extend over the base support layer 68 and/or the perimeter support 24. The inner flaps 330 may couple with the base support layer 68 and/or the perimeter support 24 to further secure the components of the base tray assembly 14 together.

[00132] Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, the perimeter support 24 may be omitted and the base tray assembly of 14 may include the base tray 18 and the base support layer 68. This configuration may provide a generally flat surface for supporting the bottom 16 of the appliance 12. The base support layer 68 may include additional cutouts or openings 354 for receiving protruding components of the appliance 12. The number, size, and arrangement of these openings 354 may differ based on the appliance 12. The openings 354 may provide support for components or may provide space for components. Accordingly, the openings 354 may extend partially or entirely through the base support layer 68.

[00133] Referring again to FIGS. 20-23, the base tray base tray assembly 14 may include the lower vertical protectors 66, which may have a variety of configurations and sizes. The number, arrangement, size, and shape of the lower vertical protectors 66 may depend on the configuration of the appliance 12. Generally, the lower vertical protectors 66 may be utilized to provide additional support and fill gaps or spacing between the appliance 12 and the base tray assembly 14. For example, the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 may have apertures, recesses, or openings for accommodating or accessing internal components. These lower vertical protectors 66 may be utilized to partially or substantially fill those spaces within the appliance 12 to provide additional support during the shipping transport process. The lower vertical protectors 66 may also be used to provide additional support to internal components of the appliance 12.

[00134] The lower vertical protectors 66 may be formed from one or more support panels 356. The support panels 356 may be constructed of fluted board or honeycomb board. Further, the vertical arrangement may provide support panels 356 with the fluting or honeycomb pattern arranged in a vertical direction, which may assist with resisting or reducing compression of the base tray assembly 14.

[00135] The support panels 356 may be side-stacked similar to the cross members 300 described with respect to FIGS. 18 and 19. The support panels 356 may be cut to form the selected shape and size and may be adhered or otherwise coupled together. The lower vertical protectors 66 may also be adhered to or coupled to the base support layer 68. In certain aspects, the base support layer 68 may include openings 354 for receiving the lower vertical protectors 66.

[00136] Referring again to FIG. 23, the appliance 12 may be configured to be positioned on the base tray assembly 14 and supported by the perimeter support 24, the base support layer 68, and/or the cross members 300. In various aspects, as illustrated in FIG. 23, the appliance 12 is positioned off-center in the base tray assembly 14 to provide additional space at the front of the appliance 12 for structures such as doors. Where the door is at a top of the appliance 12, the appliance 12 may be more centered on the base tray assembly 14.

[00137] Referring again to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, as well as FIGS. 24-34, the corner supports 36 extend vertically from the base tray assembly 14 and along corners of the appliance 12. As disclosed herein, the perimeter support 24 defines the corner notches 182, 210, and/or the base support layer 68 defines the corner notches 334. The corner notches 182, 210, 334 define the receiving spaces between the perimeter support 24 and/or base support layer 68 and the base tray 18 at each of the corners of the base tray assembly 14. The configuration and size of the receiving spaces, as well as the configuration and size of the corner notches 182, 210, 334, may be based on the size and configuration of the corner supports 36.

[00138] The corner supports 36 may have a variety of configurations, which may be based on the configuration of the cover tray 32, the configuration and/or position of the brace feature 52 utilized in the packaging assembly 10, and/or the type of appliance 12. Generally, the corner supports 36 each define an "L" shape to extend along adjacent sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18 and the corners of the appliance 12. The corner supports 36 are generally positioned on the bottom panel 20 of the base tray 18. In various aspects, a first side 360 of each corner support 36 may have a length between about 85 mm and about 150 mm, while a second side 362 has a length between about 50 mm and about 125 mm. The first side 360 is generally the front side of the front corner supports 36a, 36b that extend along the front of the appliance 12, and the rear side of the rear corner supports 36c, 36d that extend along the rear of the appliance 12. The second sides 362 extend along side panels of the appliance 12. The specific size of the corner supports 36 may also depend on the appliance 12 in the packaged appliance assembly 60.

[00139] In the example illustrated in FIG. 24, the corner supports 36 may be configured as multi-layer corner support posts 366 that are constructed of multiple layers 368, 370. The outer layer 368 of each corner support post 366 may generally be constructed of an angle board, forming the "L" shape. One or more inner layers 370 may be a single component formed in the "L" shape or multiple components or pieces disposed adjacent to another to form the "L" shape. The inner layers 370 are generally honeycomb panels, which are positioned adjacent to one another to form the "L" shape.

[00140] As illustrated in FIG. 24, the inner layers 370 of the corner supports 330 each include a first panel 370a at the first side 360, extending along a front or rear surface of the appliance 12, and a second panel 370b at the second side 362, extending along a side surface of the appliance 12. The first panels 370a may have a height less than a height of the angle board outer layer 368. Further, the second panels 370b of the inner layers 370 may have a height that is generally similar to or the same as the height of the angle board outer layer 368. The shorter first panels 370a of the inner layers 370 form an upper recess 374 on each corner support 330, allowing for placement and retention of the brace features 52 as described herein. Generally, the corner supports 330 (i.e., corner supports 36a, 36c) on one side of the appliance 12 may be mirror images of the corner supports 330 (i.e., corner supports 36b, 36d) on the opposing side of the appliance 12, providing upper recesses 372 arranged relative to one another for receiving the brace features 52 along a front and/or rear of the appliance 12.

[00141] In the example illustrated in FIG. 25, each of the corner supports 36 defines a general "L" shape. The corner supports 36 may be configured as layered corner supports 376 that are generally constructed of formed papers, providing multiple paper layers stacked and coupled together. The layered corner supports 376 define outer recesses 378 and an inner pocket 380. The inner pocket 380 may have a depth between about 10 mm and about 20 mm. The corner supports 376 (i.e., corner supports 36a, 36c) on one side of the appliance 12 may be mirror images of the corner supports 376 (i.e., corner supports 36b, 36d) on the opposing side of the appliance 12, aligning the inner pockets 344 on opposing corner supports 376. The inner pockets 344 of two corner supports 376, generally, the rear corner supports 36c, 36d, are configured to receive the brace feature 52, as described further herein. This configuration allows the brace feature 52 to abut the corner supports 36c, 36d, which may increase rigidity of the overall packaged appliance assembly 60.

[00142] In the example illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27, the corner supports 36 may be configured as retaining corner supports 400 and include an outer layer 402, an inner layer 404, and a middle layer 406 therebetween. The outer layer 402 and the inner layer 404 are constructed of angle boards, forming the L-shaped configuration with an L- shaped space between the two layers 402, 404. The angle board of the inner layer 404 is generally smaller than the angle board of the outer layer 402 to nest into the outer layer 402. The middle layer 406 is constructed of honeycomb panels 406a, 406b, generally orientated as a side panel 406a and a rear panel 406b abutting one another to fill the L- shaped space. Generally, the two honeycomb panels 406a, 406b are sandwiched between the outer and inner layers 402, 404. The layers 402, 404, 406 of the corner supports 400 are coupled together, often via an adhesive.

[00143] The front corner supports 400 (i.e., corner supports 36a, 36b) are generally mirror images of one another, while the rear corner supports 400 (i.e., corner supports 36c, 36d) are mirror images of one another. In the illustrated configuration, the rear sides 360 of the rear corner supports 36c, 36d are configured for receiving the brace feature 52. For example, each outer layer 402 defines a receiving cutout 408 on the rear side 360 thereof. The receiving cutouts 408 are aligned with one another to receive the brace feature 52, which extends across the rear of the appliance 12, as described further herein. The front sides 360 of the front corner supports 36a, 36b may also be configured to receive the brace feature 52 without departing from the teachings herein.

[00144] Further, the rear sides 360 of the corner supports 36c, 36d define an interior cavity 410 in the middle layer 406. The interior cavity 410 is defined between the outer and inner layers 402, 404 by a space between portions of the rear panel 406b of the middle layer 406. In this way, a first portion of the rear panel 406b of the middle layer 406 may extend from the top of the respective corner support 400 to a central location, and a second portion of the rear panel 406b may extend from the central location to a bottom of the corner support 36. The two portions of the rear panel 406b for each rear corner support 36c, 36d are spaced from one another to define the interior cavities 410 in the corner supports 36c, 36d. It is contemplated that the two portions of the rear panel 406b of the middle layer 406 are separate panels or may be a single panel with a cutout defining the interior cavity 410 without departing from the teachings herein.

[00145] As illustrated in FIG. 27, the receiving cutouts 408 define a first height and the interior cavities 410 define a second greater height. In this way, tops of the receiving cutout 408 and tops of the interior cavities 410 are aligned, while bottoms of the interior cavities 410 are lower than bottom edges of the receiving cutouts 408 to form a receiving pocket for retaining the brace feature 52.

[00146] Referring to FIG. 28, in the illustrated configuration, the corner supports 36 are configured as locking corner supports 430, including front corner supports 430, 430a, 430b and rear corner supports 430c, 430d, which include at least one locking feature 432. As illustrated, the corner support 430 includes two locking features 432, which are arranged at two heights along the corner support 430. Each corner support 430 may have one, two, or multiple locking features 432 based on the number of brace features 52 to be used in the packaging assembly 10. The locking features 432 are coupled to both sides 360, 362 of the L-shaped corner support 430, generally on an inner side of the corner supports 430 at the bend or junction between the two sides 360, 362. Each of the locking features 432 defines a receiving channel 434 configured to receive an end of the brace feature 52. In this way, the locking feature 432 provides a component on the corner supports 430 for holding and securing the brace feature 52 at select heights between opposing corner supports 430.

[00147] The locking features 432 are constructed of the same or similar material as the corner supports 430 and are generally adhered to the corner support 430. In certain aspects, the corner supports 430 and the locking features 432 may be constructed of corrugated board. In such examples, the corner supports 430 are generally constructed of three layers of B/C-flute boards that are adhered together. The fluting extends along a height of the corner supports 430, indicated by arrow 436, which is advantageous for increasing the rigidity and strength of the packaging assembly 10 against vertical compression and forces. In examples where the corner supports 430 are constructed of corrugated board, the locking features 432 are also constructed of multiple layers of corrugated board adhered together and to the corner support 430.

[00148] In additional or alternative examples, the corner supports 430 and the locking features 432 are constructed of honeycomb panels. Each honeycomb corner support 430 is constructed of three layers, including two outer paper layers and a core paper layer. Depending on the configuration of the packaging assembly 10, the honeycomb corner supports 430 may have varying outer paper and core paper mass, densities, or weights (e.g., grams per square meter (GSM)) and varying core sizes. The honeycomb panels are bent or coupled together to form the "L" shape. For example, in certain aspects, each corner support 430 may be formed from a single honeycomb panel that is folded to form the "L" shape, which can maximize efficiency in the manufacturing process. Alternatively, the corner supports 430 may be formed from multiple cut and adhered honeycomb panels. The locking features 432 are constructed of one or more honeycomb panels adhered together and adhered to the corner supports 430 at the junction between the two sides 360, 362 of the corner supports 430.

[00149] For the configuration of the corner supports 430 disclosed in FIG. 28, for both the fluted board and honeycomb panel constructions, the corner supports 430 are configured to sustain up to six layers of the stacking of packaged appliance assemblies 60. Additionally, the thickness of the corner supports 430 may be different or altered based on the configuration of the appliance 12, the number of stacked packaged appliance assemblies 60, a distance of transport, etc.

[00150] In the illustrated configurations of FIGS. 29-33, the corner supports 36 are configured as folded corner supports 450, such as front corner supports 450a, 450b, constructed of folded corrugated board to form multiple layers of corrugated board on each side 360, 362 of the "L" shape. The corrugated board may be three- or five-ply fluted board. The folded corner supports 450 may have multiple configurations based on the position of the brace feature 52 and various features on the corner supports 36. Each folded corner support 450 may be formed in a similar manner by folding a support blank 452, such as the exemplary support blank 452 in FIG. 33, to form the two sides 360, 362.

[00151] The first side 360, which extends along the front or the rear of the appliance 12, generally has an increased length and thickness compared to the second side 362 which extends along the side of the appliance 12. This configuration is advantageous for the longer, thicker first side 360 to support the brace feature 52. Generally, the first side 360 of the corner support 450 has three folds to form four layers of board, and the second side 362 has two folds to form three layers of board.

[00152] Using the support blank 452 in FIG. 33 as an example, the folded corner supports 450 are formed from a generally rectangular blank 452 with multiple parallel fold lines 454-464 and multiple cutouts 466-480. Each fold line 454-464 may be a single line or multiple adjacent lines, which may be advantageous for different folds (e.g., larger degree of folding, folding around additional layers, etc.). Further, while described herein as fold lines 454-464, each fold line 454-464 may be a fold line, a line of perforations, or a combination thereof.

[00153] The support blank 452 includes a corner fold line 458, which is used to form the corner of the corner support 450. As the two sides 360, 362 of the corner support 450 have different lengths and/or thicknesses, the corner fold line 458 is generally off-center in the blank 452. On a first side of the corner fold line 458, illustrated as the left side, the blank 452 includes three portions 482, 484, 486 and two fold lines 454, 456. On a second side of the corner fold line 458, illustrated as the right side, the blank 452 includes four portions 488, 490, 492, 494 and three fold lines 460, 462, 464. The first portion 482, on the outermost side, is folded along the fold line 454 to extend over the second portion 484. The second portion 484 is then folded in the same direction along the fold line 456 for the first portion 482 to be disposed between the second and third portions 484, 486.

[00154] Similarly, the fourth portion 488, on the opposing outermost side, is folded along the fold line 460 to extend over and abut the fifth portion 490. The fifth portion 490 is folded along the fold line 462 in the same direction so the fourth portion 488 is disposed between the fifth and sixth portions 490, 492. The sixth portion 492 is then folded along the fold line 464 in the same direction so the fourth and fifth portions 488, 490 are disposed between the sixth and seventh portions 492, 494. The blank 452 is folded along the corner line 458 to form the "L" shape with three portions 482, 484, 486 folded to form three layers on one side 362 and four portions 488, 490, 492, 494 folded to form four layers on the first side 360. Accordingly, the outer portions 482, 488 become inner layers when folded, and the inner portions 486, 494 become outer layers when folded.

[00155] The blank 452 also includes various cutouts 466-480 that align when the portions 482-494 are folded to form aspects of the corner support 450. In the example illustrated in FIG. 33, the blank 452 includes two alignment cutouts 466, 468, with the first alignment cutout 466 defines in the first portion 482 and the second alignment cutout 468 defined in the second and third portions 484, 486. When the three portions 482, 484, 486 are folded, the alignment cutouts 466, 468 align with one another to form an alignment feature 500, as illustrated in FIG. 32. A similar configuration of cutouts may be utilized to form an upper recessed region 502 for the brace feature 52, as illustrated in FIG. 29.

[00156] The blank 452 also includes two receiving cutouts 470, 472, which includes the first receiving cutout 470 defined by the seventh portion 494 and the second receiving cutout 472 defined by the fourth and fifth portions 488, 490 and extending to an outside edge of the fourth portion 488. When the fourth portion 488 is folded onto the fifth portion 490, the second receiving cutout 472 is folded over itself. The folded second receiving cutout 472 is aligned with the first receiving cutout 470 when the sixth portion 492 is folded onto the seventh portion 494. Accordingly, three portions 488, 490, 494 having the receiving cutouts 470, 472 are aligned to form a receiving channel 434, as illustrated in FIG. 31, with the sixth portion 482 forming an outer wall of a receiving channel 504 by not including a mating cutout. The seventh portion 494 also includes a flap 506 that extends into the first receiving cutout 470, which is advantageous for securing the brace feature 52 as described herein.

[00157] The blank 452 illustrated in FIG. 33 also includes upper relief cutouts 474, 476 and lower relief cutouts 478, 480. The first upper and lower relief cutouts 474-480 are defined by the fourth and fifth portions 488, 490 on the fold line 460, and the second upper and lower relief cutouts 474-480 are defined in the sixth portion 442 on the fold line 464. When the portions 488-494 are folded to form the first side 360, the first upper and lower relief cutouts 474, 478 are aligned with the second upper and lower relief cutouts 476, 480, respectively, to form relief recesses 510, 512 (FIG. 52) with the seventh portion 494 forming an outer wall for the relief recesses 510, 512 by not including a mating cutout. In this configuration, the receiving channel 504 extends into the corner support 450 from the outside, while the relief recesses 510, 512 extend into the corner support 450 from the inside.

[00158] Referring to FIG. 34, an additional or alternative configuration of corner supports 36 is illustrated with the corner supports 36 configured as layered corner supports 520, including four layered corner supports 520a-520d. Similar to the folded corner supports 450 in FIGS. 29-33, the layered corner supports 520 may be formed of multiple layers of board, such as fluted or corrugated board. The layered corner support 520 may be folded similarly to the folded corner supports 450 to form the layers and/or may be multiple boards side-stacked and coupled together. In non-limiting examples, each layered corner supports 520 may include one or more folded, L-shaped boards and multiple flat or planar boards coupled to the sides of the L-shaped board(s) to form the layers.

[00159] The layers of board assist in creating a more robust structure for stacking packaged appliance assemblies 60. The layered corner supports 520 are generally constructed of corrugated board having fluting in a direction indicated by arrow 522. The fluting 522 extends in a vertical direction which assists with reducing or absorbing the stacking force or stacking load on the packaged appliance assembly 60. The fluting direction 522 may assist with the packaging assembly 10 being self-structural.

[00160] The layered boards may have a variety of cutouts 524 in various locations to accommodate components. The cutouts 524 may be aligned to form holes or may be offset to form recesses. The cutouts may be advantageous for supporting and/or providing space for appliance components, such as a drain hose, as well as for reducing or preventing interference with projecting components.

[00161] The layered corner supports 520 may have any number and arrangement of cutouts 524 and the cutouts 524 may have any shape or size. In this way, the layered corner supports 520 may be customized based on the configuration of the appliance 12. In other words, the location, size, number, and shape of the cutouts 524 may be altered or adjusted based on the appliance 12, including product shapes such as perimeters, hoses, pipes, etc. [00162] Referring now to FIGS. 29-32 and 34, the folded corner support 450 and the layered corner support 520 may have a variety of features for aligning, locating, and supporting components of the packaging assembly 10 and/or the appliance 12. The corner supports 450 may have the upper recessed regions 502, as illustrated in FIG. 29, the receiving channels 504, as illustrated in FIG. 31, for supporting the brace feature 52 as described herein. The folded corner supports 450 and the layered corner supports 520 may also include the alignment feature 500 on a bottom thereof that assists with properly aligning the corner supports 450, 520 in the base tray 18. For example, when the corner supports 450 define the receiving channels 504 that supports the brace feature 52, the corner supports 450 have a specific arrangement to allow the brace feature 52 to extend between two opposing corner supports 450. The layered corner supports 520 may also define the receiving channels 504 without departing from the teachings herein. The alignment feature 500 assists with aligning the corner supports 450, 520 during assembly to increase efficiency in the manufacturing process. Further, the folded corner supports 450 and the layered corner supports 520 may include features for supporting components of the appliance 12, such as the relief recesses 510, 512 (FIG. 52).

[00163] Referring to FIGS. 35-43, the packaging assembly 10 includes the cover tray 32 with an upper panel 600, which is configured to extend across the top 34 of the appliance 12, and sidewalls 602, including sidewalls 602a-602d, extending vertically from the upper panel 600. The sidewalls 602 are configured to extend toward the base tray assembly 14 to define an interior of the cover tray 32. The sidewalls 602 may each extend a same distance from the upper panel 600.

[00164] The cover tray 32 illustrated in FIG. 36 is generally formed from a cover blank 610, as illustrated in FIG. 25. The cover blank 610 that forms the cover tray 32 may be similar to the base blank 90 that forms the base tray 18 (see FIG. 10) and may similarly be C-flute corrugated board. The cover blank 610 includes a central portion 612, which forms the upper panel 600, and four side portions 614a-614d, which form the sidewalls 602a-602d. The first and second side portions 614a, 614b each have an outer section 620, 622 and an inner section 624, 626, respectively. Each inner section 624, 626 is separated from the central portion 612 by a respective first fold line 628, 630 and separated from the outer section 620, 622 by a respective second fold line 632, 634.

[00165] The first and second side portions 614a, 614b are configured to fold at the first fold lines 628, 630 to extend perpendicular to the central portion 612. The outer sections 620, 622 are configured to fold inwards, parallel to the inner sections 624, 626 along the second fold lines 632, 634 to extend parallel to the inner sections 624, 626. Tabs 636, 638 defined by the outer sections 620, 622 are disposed in apertures 640, 642 defined proximate to the first fold lines 628, 630 to retain the side portions 614a, 614b as the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b, respectively.

[00166] The third and fourth side portions 614c, 614d also are formed similarly to one another. The third side portion 614c includes a center section 650 and opposing side wings 652, 654, where the opposing side wings 652, 654 are separated from the center section 650 by fold lines 656, 658, respectively. Similarly, the fourth side portion 614d includes a center section 670 and opposing side wings 672, 674, where the opposing side wings 672, 674 are separated from the center section 670 by fold lines 676, 678, respectively. The center sections 650, 670 are configured to fold along respective fold lines 680, 682 to extend perpendicular to the central portion 612. The side wings 652, 654 of the third side portion 614c extend toward the fourth side portion 614d, and the side wings 672, 674 of the fourth side portion 614d extend toward the third side portion 614d.

[00167] The side wings 652, 672 are disposed between the outer section 620 and the inner section 624 of the first side portion 614a, while the opposing side wings 654, 672 are disposed between the outer section 622 and the inner section 626 of the second side portion 614b. The third and fourth side portions 614c, 614d are configured to fold into the third and fourth sidewalls 22c, 22d. The engagement of the tabs 636, 638 in the apertures 640, 642 holds the first and second side portions 614a, 614b in the folded configuration, which consequently holds the third and fourth side portions 614c, 614d in the folded configuration to form the cover tray 32. It is contemplated that the base blank 90 (FIG. 10) and the cover blank 610 may also have different configurations.

[00168] Referring again to FIG. 4 and still to FIG. 36, in various aspects, the cover tray assembly 50 includes the cover tray 32 and the brace features 52. In the illustrated configuration, the brace features 52 include two cross braces 700, 702 and an upper protector 704. The cross braces 700, 702 generally extend along an inner surface 710 at front and rear edges of the upper panel 600. Depending on the positioning of the cover tray 32, the first and rear edges may be adjacent to the first and second sidewalls 602a, 602b or the third and fourth sidewalls 602c, 602d. The cross braces 700, 702 are generally constructed or formed of wooden blocks that are coupled to the cover tray 32, such as via adhesive.

[00169] The upper protector 704 may be a single component or multiple components coupled to one of the cross braces 700, such as via stapling or adhesive. The upper protector 704 is generally constructed of corrugated board. For example, as illustrated, the cover tray assembly 50 includes two upper protectors 704 spaced from one another, with each formed from a folded or rolled piece of corrugated board.

[00170] Generally, this cover tray assembly 50 is utilized with the corner supports 36 illustrated in FIG. 24. Accordingly, when the cover tray assembly 50 is positioned on the corner supports 36, the cross braces 700, 702 are positioned within the upper recesses 372 formed by the corner supports 36 (see FIG. 4) and the upper protector 704 extends adjacent to the appliance 12, limiting or reducing front-to-back movement of the appliance 12. The cross braces 700, 702 provide rigidity and strength to the top of the packaging assembly 10 for resisting clamping forces.

[00171] With reference to FIGS. 37-41, in an alternative non-limiting configuration, the cover tray 32 may define a channel 720 for receiving the brace feature 52, which is configured as a cross brace 722. As illustrated in FIGS. 37 and 38, the channel 720 is accessible from an area above the cover tray 32 for efficient insertion and removal of the cross brace 722 into the channel 720. Accordingly, the cross brace 722 may be added or removed to the cover tray 32 when the cover tray 32 is removed from the appliance 12 or when positioned on the appliance 12.

[00172] The cover tray 32 that defines the channel 720, as illustrated in FIGS. 36-40, may be formed by a cover blank 728, illustrated in FIG. 41, which may have differences on the rear side wings 654, 674 and the second side portion 614b compared to the cover blank 728 illustrated in FIG. 34. The cover blank 728 may be a corrugated board having C-type fluting For example, as illustrated in FIG. 41, the side wings 654, 674 by the channel 720 are generally longer to extend closer to or overlap with the opposing side wing 654, 674 when the side wings 654, 674 are folded. Moreover, the fold lines 658, 678 for folding the side wings 654, 674 are defined beyond an innermost fold line 730 for forming the channel 720.

[00173] As illustrated in FIG. 41, the second side portion 614b is also longer, with multiple fold lines 730, 732, 734, 750, 752, 754 for forming the channel 720 and the second sidewall 602b. The second side portion 614b is initially folded along the innermost fold line 730 to extend perpendicular to the central portion 612 in the same direction as the sidewall 22b ultimately extends. The second side portion 614b is then folded at a first channel fold line 732 to extend parallel to and away from the central portion 612, and a second channel fold line 734 to again extend perpendicular to the central portion 612 in an opposing direction (e.g., toward the upper panel 600). This folding along the fold lines 730, 732, 734 forms the U-shaped channel 720.

[00174] The second side portion 614b is then folded along two sidewall fold lines 750, 752 to fold outward and then again in the first direction (e.g., away from the upper panel 600), thereby forming the sidewall 602b. The outer section 622 of the second side portion 614b is folded along an outermost fold line 754 to extend inward and toward the portion defined between the sidewall fold lines 750, 752. The portion between the sidewall fold lines 750, 752 defines apertures 756. The second side portion 614b includes the tabs 638 for inserting into apertures 756, retaining the second side portion 614b in the folded configuration. The second side portion 614b extends along opposing surfaces of the rear side wings 654, 674, enclosing the side wings 654, 674 between the outer section 622 and an outside portion of the folded sidewall 602b. The folded second side portion 614b retains the folded third and fourth sidewalls 602c, 602d, the channel 720, and the second sidewall 602b in the folded configurations.

[00175] This configuration of the cover tray 32 provides the channel 720, which extends inward from an outer surface 760 of the cover tray 32 to below the sidewalls 602. The cross brace 722 is positioned within the channel 720 on the outer surface 760, extending from the third sidewall 602c to the fourth sidewall 602d, along the second sidewall 602b, and from the outer surface 760 of the upper panel 600 to a bottom of the channel 720 beyond the distance of the sidewalls 602. [00176] The cross brace 722 is formed of paper-based materials. The cross brace 722 resists the clamping forces and is nested within the cover tray 32. The cross brace 722 may define any geometric cross-sectional shape, such as a lemniscate shape, as illustrated, a circular shape, a rectangular shape, etc. Generally, as illustrated in FIG. 37, the cross brace 722 extends along the rear sidewall 602b of the cover tray 32. Moreover, the nested positioning of the cross brace 722 does not substantially increase the overall size of the packaging envelope (e.g., the packaged appliance assembly 60), allowing a same number of packaged appliance assemblies 60 to be stacked on one another in shipping containers. The cross brace 722 may also be constructed as a wooden block without departing from the teachings herein.

[00177] The cover tray 32 defining the channel 720 is generally utilized with the corner supports 36 illustrated in FIG. 25. As illustrated in FIG. 39, the cross brace 722 may extend beyond outer edges of the channel 720 into spaces defined between the second side portion 614b and the rear side wings 654, 674, respectively. Ends of the cross brace 722 are generally spaced from the side wings 654, 674 of the sidewalls 602c, 602d to form receiving spaces for tops of the corner supports 36. The cross brace 722 extends into the inner pockets 344 to abut the corner supports 36c, 36d and provides additional support and rigidity to the packaging assembly 10, while not impinging on the positioning of the cover tray 32.

[00178] Referring to FIGS. 42 and 43, an additional or alternative configuration of the cover tray assembly 50 is illustrated. The cover tray assembly 50 includes the cover tray 32, which may be formed similarly to the cover tray 32 illustrated in the FIGS. 35 and 36. The cover tray assembly 50 also includes an upper protector 770 coupled to the inner surface 710 of the upper panel 600 in a space defined by the sidewalls 602. The upper protector 770 may substantially or partially fill the space defined by the sidewalls 602 of the cover tray 32. Generally, the sidewalls 602 extend a greater distance from the inner surface 710 compared to the upper protector 770.

[00179] The upper protector 770 is generally formed of one or more layers of honeycomb board. The honeycomb board can provide increased structure and cushioning at the top 34 of the appliance 12. In the illustrated configuration, the upper protector 770 defines recesses 774, which may be advantageous for housing accessory-type components or receiving components projecting from the top 34 of the appliance 12. Additionally or alternatively, the recesses 774 may increase efficiency of the manufacturing process.

[00180] The upper protector 770 may be advantageous for providing additional protection for the top 34 of the appliance 12, as well as for filling space between the cover tray assembly 50 and the appliance 12 when the appliance 12 does not include a planar top surface. For example, when the appliance 12 is a top load washer, the top load washer generally includes a control panel that protrudes upward at the top 34 of the washer. The upper protector 770 may assist with filling the space adjacent to the control panel between the cover tray 32 and the top 34 of the washer. The upper protector 770 is generally spaced from at least one sidewall 602 to accommodate projecting components between the sidewall 602 and the upper protector 770. For example, the upper protector 770 can rest on the top door of the washer and the control panel can extend between the upper protector 770 and the sidewall 602 toward the cover tray 32. The inner surface 710 of the cover tray 32 may also define additional recesses for accommodating components and/or shape of the appliance 12.

[00181] Depending on the configuration of the appliance 12, the upper protector 770 may be centrally located in the cover tray or may be off-center relative to the cover tray 32. A space may be defined between the upper protector 770 and at least one of the sidewalls 602. An upwardly extending portion or components of the top 34 of the appliance 12 may extend into the space between the upper protector 770 and the cover tray 32. The cover tray assembly 50 illustrated in FIGS. 42 and 43 can assist with creating a flat surface at a top of the packaged appliance assembly 60. The flat surface may be advantageous for stacking multiple packaged appliance assemblies 60 on one another. Further, the honeycomb material of the upper protector 770 may also increase resistance to permanent deformation of the packaging assembly 10.

[00182] Referring now to FIGS. 4, 24, -29, and 31, as well as to FIGS. 44-51, the brace feature 52 is supported by two opposing corner supports 36. In this way, the corner supports 36 are constructed or include features for supporting opposing ends of the brace feature 52 with the corner supports 36 being constructed of paper-based materials. In various examples, the brace feature 52 is configured as a cross brace 778, which is generally constructed as a wooden block. The cross brace 778 may also be constructed of paper similar to the cross brace 722 without departing from the teaching herein. The cross brace 778 and the position of the cross brace 778 may be utilized to prevent and resist clamping force against the packaged appliance assembly 60.

[00183] The cross brace 778 can be supported at upper ends of the corner supports 36, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 48, or along the height of the corner supports 36, as illustrated in FIGS. 44, 46, and 50. The specific height along the corner supports 36 may be based on the configuration of the appliance 12 or other components of the packaging assembly 10. For example, the cross brace 778 may be at an upper region of the corner supports 36, as illustrated in FIG. 46, or more centrally located, as illustrated in FIGS. 44 and 50. A more centralized location of the cross brace 778 along the height of the corner supports 36 may be advantageous for providing clamping support and protecting side panels of the appliance 12.

[00184] With reference still to FIGS. 4 and 24, the first panels 370a of the inner layers 370 of the corner supports 36 may have a height less than the height of the angle board outer layer 368, forming the upper recesses 372. The brace feature 52 is positioned on the inner layers 370 of opposing corner supports 36, abutting the angle board outer layer 368. Generally, a height difference between the inner layers 370 and the outer layers 368 is substantially equal to a height of the brace feature 52, allowing the brace feature 52 to be nested on the top of the corner supports 36 without substantially increasing the overall height of the corner supports 36 and, consequently, the packaged appliance assembly 60. The outer layers 368 and the second panels 370a of the inner layers 370 form a pocket for receiving the brace feature 52 and maintaining the position of the brace feature 52.

[00185] Referring to FIGS. 44 and 45, the brace feature 52 may be coupled to the corner supports 36 and be centrally located along a height of the appliance 12. The cross brace 778 is coupled to opposing corner supports 36, illustrated as the retaining corner supports 400. Typically, the cross brace 778 is coupled to the rear corner supports 36c, 36d, however, the corner supports 36 may be arranged such that the cross brace 778 extends along a side, a front, a rear, or multiple locations of the appliance 12. Moreover, it is contemplated that the cross brace 778 may be utilized with either configuration of the cover tray 32 disclosed herein. [00186] The corner supports 36c, 36d define the receiving cutouts 408, which open into the interior cavities 410 of the corner supports 36c, 36d. The cross brace 778 can be inserted through the smaller receiving cutouts 408 and lowered to be positioned on the second portions of the rear panels 406b of the middle layers 406. This lowered or nested configuration assists in retaining the cross brace 778 in position. On each rear corner support 36c, 36d, there is a retaining wall 780 that is formed by a portion of the outer layer 402 that extends between the bottom of the interior cavity 410 to the bottom edge of the receiving cutout 408, respectively. The retaining walls 780 assist in retaining the cross brace 778 in the interior cavities 410 during the clamping process.

[00187] Moreover, the outer layers 402 of the rear corner supports 36c, 36d may each be configured to have a lip 782 that extends from a corner of the respective corner support 36c, 36d to the respective receiving cutout 408. Generally, the wooden cross braces 778 are machined parts, having sharper edges. These sharper edges can cause damage to various configurations of the outer retainer 54 placed along the corner supports 36. The lips 782 in the outer layers 402 serve as a barrier between the cross brace 778 and the outer retainer 54 to reduce damage to the outer retainer 54 during the shipping and transport processes.

[00188] Referring again to FIG. 28, as well as FIGS. 46 and 47, the cross brace 778 may be supported by the locking features 432 of opposing corner supports 430. The front corner supports 430a, 430b are mirror images of one another, and the rear corner supports 430c, 430d are mirror images of one another. The locking features 432 of the front corner supports 430a, 430b and the rear corner supports 430c, 430d are illustrated at the same or similar heights and may be at different heights to have cross braces 778 at different heights of the appliance 12 in the front and the rear.

[00189] This configuration allows the first cross brace 778 to extend between the front corner supports 430a, 430b, and the second cross brace 778 to extend between the rear corner supports 430c, 430d. The cross braces 778 are generally arranged in an upper region of the corner supports 430, which allows the cross braces 778 to be arranged at the same or similar height and above a door for front door appliances 12.

[00190] The ends of the cross braces 778 are positioned within the receiving channels 434 of the locking features 432 and held in place. This may cover the ends of the wooden cross braces 778, which can reduce or prevent damage to certain configurations of the outer retainer 54, similar to the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 44 and 45. The cover tray 32 may be positioned on the upper ends of the corner supports 430 without the cross braces 778 impinging on the fit of the cover tray 32. Further, the cross braces 778 may extend between the second sides 362 of the opposing corner supports 430, which provides additional support against clamping forces without increasing the width of the packaged appliance assembly 60.

[00191] Referring again to FIG. 29, as well as FIGS. 48 and 49, the cross brace 778 can be supported in the upper recessed regions 502 of opposing folded corner supports 450. The front corner supports 36 are illustrated and the rear corner supports 36 may have a similar configuration or may not include the upper recessed regions 502. The first sides 360 of the corner supports 36 have a height less than the heights of the second sides 362. To form the upper recessed regions 502, the four portions 488-494 of the support blank 452 (FIG. 33) define a continuous cutout to the corner fold 458, forming the height difference in the folded configuration. The height difference between the first side 360 and the second side 362 is substantially equal to the height of the cross brace 778 to nest the cross brace 778 in the upper recessed region 502 without impinging on the placement of the cover tray 32 or increasing the height of the packaged appliance assembly 60, similar to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4.

[00192] In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 48 and 49, the cross brace 778 is generally aligned or flush with the top surfaces of the second sides 362 of the corner supports 450 and a front surface of the first sides 360 to not substantially protrude forward or upward from the corner supports 36. The cross brace 778 is configured to abut the second sides 362 of the corner supports 450 to assist with aligning the cross brace 778 with the front surface of the corner supports 36. Additionally, the cross brace 778 generally extends to an interface between first and third portions 482, 486 but may extend to be flush with an outer surface of the corner supports 36, without departing from the teachings herein. The slightly lesser width of the cross brace 778 relative to the width between the outer surfaces of the second sides 362 of the corner supports 36 may be advantageous for maintaining the size of the packaged appliance assembly 60 with tolerance for slight variation in the cross brace 778 during manufacturing. [00193] Referring to FIG. 31, as well as FIGS. 50 and 51, the cross brace 778 can be supported and retained in the receiving channels 504 in the folded corner supports 450. The front corner supports 450a, 450b are illustrated, and the rear corner supports 450 may support a second cross brace 778 or may not include the receiving channels 504. The receiving channels 504 are arranged in an upper, central portion of the corner supports 450 for configurations of the appliances 12 where the door is at the front of the appliance 12. This positioning of the cross brace 778 allows the cross brace 778 to extend over the door. The cross brace 778 may be positioned at any height or multiple heights without departing from the teachings herein.

[00194] The front corner supports 450a, 450b are mirror images of one another to receive opposing ends of the cross brace 778. In the illustrated configuration, the receiving channels 504 extend from the outside surface of the first sides 360 of the corner supports 450 and toward the appliance 12. The flaps 506 extend from the seventh portion 494, which is the outermost layer of the first side 360 of the corner supports 450, and act as a closing and retaining flap 506 for the cross brace 778. In the illustrated configuration, a fold line 784 for the flap 506 is above the flap 506, such that the flap 506 extends downward over the receiving channel 504. However, it is contemplated that the fold line 784 is positioned below the flap 506, such that the flap 506 extends upward over the receiving channel 504. A distal edge of the flap 506 may engage with the receiving cutout 472 of the seventh portion 494 to retain the flap 506 in a closed state over the cross brace 778.

[00195] The flaps 506 are folded away from the receiving channels 504 to provide increased access to the receiving channels 504. The ends of the cross brace 778 are positioned in the receiving channels 504 to abut the sixth portion 492 that acts as inner walls for the receiving channel 504 between the cross brace 778 and the appliance 12. The end of the cross brace 778 may also abut the second sides 362 of the corner supports 450a, 450b to be fully positioned within the receiving channels 504. The second sides 362 and/or the corners of the corner supports 450 may form a buffer between the wooden cross brace 778 and the outer retainer 54, similar to the lip 782 in FIG. 45. The flaps 506 may then be folded over the cross brace 778 to assist in retaining the cross brace 778 in the receiving channels 504. [00196] The seventh portion 494 that defines the flap 506 on one side of the receiving cutout 472 may also define a cutout extension 786 on an opposing side of the receiving cutout 472 compared to the flap 506. This cutout extension 786 extends from the receiving cutout 472 to define an opening with an increased height in a center thereof. The cutout extension 786 extends below the receiving cutout 470 of the fourth and fifth portions 488, 490, forming an indented region on the outer surface of the corner support 450. The indented portion provides additional space, which may be advantageous for maneuvering the end of the cross brace 778 into and out of the receiving channel 504.

[00197] Referring now to FIG. 52, the appliance 12 may have protruding components 788, such as shipping bolts extending from the appliance 12 in FIG. 52, which is illustrated as the rear of a horizontal axis washer. The protruding components 788 may be more susceptible to damage during the shipping process. In various aspects, the corner supports 450 define the relief recesses 510, 512 for receiving these protruding components 788. The protruding components 788 are disposed within the relief recesses 510, 512, with further protection being provided by the seventh portion 494 of the corner support 450 that forms an outer wall that extends over the protruding components 788. This allows at least one portion 494 or one layer of the corrugated board forming the corner support 450 to remain over the protruding components 788 to assist in protecting these protruding components 788 during the shipping process.

[00198] With reference again to FIG. 1, as well as to FIGS. 53-56, the packaging assembly 10 may include one or more outer retainers 54 depending on a variety of factors, including the configuration of other components of the packaging assembly 10, the shipping process, the shipping distance, the appliance 12, etc. The outer retainers 54 are configured to retain the other components of the packaging assembly 10 in position relative to one another and the appliance 12 during the shipping process. Certain configurations of the outer retainer 54 may also protect or cover the sides of the appliance 12 between the corner supports 36. Each configuration of the outer retainer 54 can be utilized to retain the packaged appliance assembly 60 together as a single unit for transport.

[00199] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the packaging assembly 10 includes the cover tray assembly 50, the base tray assembly 14, the corner supports 36, and the outer retainer 54, which is configured as the outer casing 56. The outer casing 56 may be a bag-like component or a wrap that encloses the cover tray 32, the base tray assembly 14, the corner supports 36, and the appliance 12. The outer casing 56 may partially or fully enclose the appliance 12 and the other components of the packaging assembly 10. The outer casing 56 may be a plastic or paper-based material.

[00200] As illustrated in FIG. 53, the outer retainer 54 may be a stretch film 804. The stretch film 804 may extend over at least a portion of the cover tray assembly 50, over the corner supports 36 and the sides of the appliance 12, and over at least a portion of the base tray assembly 14. Portions of the cover tray assembly 50 and the base tray 18 may remain exposed outside of the stretch film 804, which may maximize manufacturing efficiency and reduce materials used while covering all sides of the appliance 12 with the packaging assembly 10. The stretch film 804 may form an envelope around the appliance 12 and the other components of the packaging assembly 10. The stretch film 804 may be constructed of a plastic material, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), and may have a thickness of about 80 pm.

[00201] With reference to FIG. 54, additionally or alternatively, the packaging assembly 10 may include one or more straps 806 that form the outer retainer 54. In such examples, the sides of the appliance 12 may be exposed between the corner supports 36, or the straps 806 may be utilized in combination with another outer retainer 54. The straps 806 generally extend over the cover tray assembly 50, parallel to the corner supports 36 along the front of the appliance 12, under the base tray 18, and along the rear of the appliance 12 to encircle the appliance 12 and other components of the packaging assembly 10 to retain the position of the components of the packaging assembly 10 as a single unit.

[00202] The packaging assembly 10 may include one strap 806, two straps 806, as illustrated, or multiple straps 806. Additionally, in the illustrated configuration, the straps 806 are parallel to one another. It is also contemplated that when multiple straps 806 are used, the straps 806 may be arranged in a perpendicular or cross configuration. In such examples, at least one strap 806 extends along the front and rear of the appliance 12, while at least one additional strap 806 extends along the sides of the appliance 12. The straps 806 may be constructed of plastic materials, such as polyphenylene ether (PPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE).

[00203] Referring to FIGS. 55 and 56, in certain aspects the outer retainer 54 may replace the use of the cover tray assembly 50. It is contemplated that both may be used together without departing from the teachings herein. In examples where the outer retainer 54 replaces the cover tray assembly 50, the outer retainer 54 is configured as a cover envelope 808, which extends over the top of the appliance 12, over the corner supports 36 and the side of the appliance 12, and to the base tray assembly 14. The cover envelope 808 may extend along a portion or the entirety of the sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18. The cover envelope 808 generally has an open bottom 810 to fit as a sleeve over the appliance 12 and the other components of the packaging assembly 10 and closing flaps 812 on an opposing end that are configured to fold to cover the top of the appliance 12. The cover envelope 808 is generally constructed of a B/C -flute corrugated board. The straps 806 can be utilized with the cover envelope 808, extending around the cover envelope 808 and the base tray assembly 14 to retain the components together to form a single unit for transport. This configuration may provide additional protection to the sides of the appliance 12 that are disposed within an interior of the cover envelope 808.

[00204] Multiple types or configurations of the outer retainer 54 may be used in combination with one another. For example, the stretch film 804 may be utilized with the straps 806, which may be advantageous for avoiding slight slippage of components of the packaging assembly 10 relative to one another during the transport process. In such examples, the straps 806 may be positioned on the outside of the stretch film 804 or may be on the inside of the stretch film 804 without departing the teachings herein.

[00205] Referring again to FIGS. 1-56, the cover tray assembly 50 and/or outer retainer 54 are configured to protect the top 34 of the appliance 12, as well as to provide a cover for dust. The outer surface 760 of the cover tray 32 or an outer surface of the outer retainer 54, such as the cover envelope 808 may also be utilized for displaying information or graphics, such as handling graphics. The cover tray 32 may also support the brace feature 52.

[00206] The packaging assembly 10 includes one or more brace features 52, including one or more of the cross braces 700, 702, 722, 778, for protecting the appliance 12 from clamping forces. Further, the cross braces 700, 702, 722, 778 are generally integrated into other components of the packaging assembly 10, such as the cover tray 32 or the corner supports 36. During shipping and storage in warehouses, clamp trucks are often used to move the packaged appliance assemblies 60. Sometimes the clamp trucks will move multiple stacked packaged appliance assemblies 60 at a single time, and other times a single packaged appliance assembly 60 is moved at a single time. However, the clamping force remains consistent regardless of the number of packaged appliance assemblies 60 being moved, which results in higher clamping pressures. In order to reduce clamping loads from reaching the appliance 12, the brace feature 52 is included in the packaging assembly 10. Further, a length of the cross braces 700, 702, 722, 778 can be adjusted to adjust a force that is transferred to the packaging assembly 10 versus the appliance 12.

[00207] Referring FIG. 57, as well as FIGS. 1-56, a method 850 of packaging the appliance 12 is illustrated. In step 852, the base tray 18 is formed. The base blank 90 is cut in the specific configuration for forming the base tray 18. The base blank 90 is then folded to form the sidewalls 22 and retain the base tray 18 in the folded configuration.

[00208] In step 854, the perimeter support 24 is formed. The support boards 26, the support panels 302, and/or support plates 318 are cut to the specific configuration. The various layers are stacked on top of one another and coupled together in the stacked arrangement to form the perimeter support 24. In various configurations, the perimeter support 24 is formed in the four sections 170, 172, 174, 176, four sections 200, 202 204, 206, or four sections 336, 338, 340, 342 which are formed of multiple layers of the support boards 26. The multiple layers for each section 170-176, 200-206, 336-342 may be formed from multiple separate components or a single component that is folded to form the layers.

[00209] In additional or alternative configurations, the perimeter support 24 is formed of multiple larger support panels 302. The support panels 302 may be arranged on top of one another to provide multiple layers. In such examples, the cross members 300 may also be formed. The support plates 318 are side-stacked and coupled together. The side- stacked support plates 318 forming the cross members 300 are then interlocked with perimeter support 24. In step 854, the base support layer 68 and/or the vertical protectors 66 may be formed.

[00210] In step 856, the perimeter support 24 and/or the cross members 300 are positioned on the base tray 18. In examples with the four sections 170-176, 200-206, 336-342, the four sections 170-176, 200-206, 336-342 of the perimeter support 24 may be arranged separately or coupled together and then positioned on the base tray 18.

[00211] In examples with the cross members 300, the cross members 300 may be placed on the base tray 18 and the perimeter support 24 may be placed over the cross members 300. Alternatively, the cross members 300 may be coupled to the perimeter support 24 and the single unit may be placed on the base tray 18. In examples with the vertical support boards 252, the vertical support boards 252 may be disposed in the outer cutouts 250 before or after the support sections 204, 206 are positioned on the base tray 18. The perimeter support 24 is positioned for the locating apertures 28 to be disposed in the corners of the base tray 18. The position of the perimeter support 24 may also affect where the central opening 30 is positioned relative to a center of the base tray 18.

[00212] In examples with the vertical protectors 66, the support panels 356 may be cut and side-stacked to form the selected shape and size. The vertical protectors 66 may be positioned on or coupled with the perimeter support 24 and/or the base support layer 68.

[00213] In step 858, the appliance 12 is positioned on the base tray assembly 14. In this way, the bottom 16 of the appliance 12 may be positioned on the perimeter support 24, the base support layer 68, and/or the cross members 300. The appliance 12 may also be positioned over the vertical protectors 66. The perimeter support 24 and/or the base support layer 68 are configured to cushion the appliance 12. In various examples, the feet of the appliance 12 are positioned in the locating apertures 28, 220, 332. In certain aspects, the protrusions of the appliance 12 are inserted in the receiving apertures 180 defined by the perimeter support 24. The feet of the appliance 12 are generally spaced from the bottom panel 20 by the perimeter support 24 to reduce or prevent damage to the feet.

[00214] In step 860, in configurations with the additional lower protectors 62, 64, the lower protectors 62, 64 may be positioned between the sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18 and the appliance 12. Generally, the lower protectors 62, 64 are positioned along the first and second sidewalls 22a, 22b and on the perimeter support 24.

[00215] In step 862, the corner supports 36 are formed and positioned about the appliance 12. The corner supports 36 may be formed by coupling the inner and outer layers 368, 370 (see FIG. 24), through forming paper layers (see FIG. 25) such as through a mandrel and a forming tool, by coupling three layers 402, 404, 406 and forming the receiving cutouts 408 and interior cavities 410 (see FIGS. 26 and 27), adhering layers of corrugated board or honeycomb panels and the locking features 432 together (see FIG.

28), folding corrugated board with and forming the upper recessed regions 502 (see FIG.

29) or the receiving channels 504 (see FIG. 31), and/or adhering layers of corrugated board and forming recesses 774 (FIG. 34). The corner supports 36 are positioned within the receiving spaces defined between the perimeter support 24 and/or the base support layer 68 and the sidewalls 22 of the base tray 18. The receiving spaces are generally sized and shaped to engage the corner supports 36 and retain the corner supports 36 in position, reducing movement relative to the base tray assembly 14. Accordingly, the corner supports 36 may be coupled with the base tray assembly 14 in an interference fit. The corner supports 36 extend along the corners of the appliance 12. The corner supports 36 may be positioned in the base tray 18 in any order.

[00216] In step 864, the cover tray 32 is formed. The cover blank 610 or the cover blank 728 is cut in the specific configuration and folded to form the sidewalls 602 and/or the channel 720. In step 864, the upper protector 770 may be formed and coupled with the cover tray 32. In step 866, one or more brace features 52 are added to the packaging assembly 10. The brace feature 52 is positioned to extend between two corner supports 36. In certain aspects, the cross braces 700, 702 are coupled to opposing edges of the cover tray 32, and the upper protector 704 is coupled to the cross brace 700 to be positioned at a front of the appliance 12.

[00217] In additional or alternative aspects, the cross brace 702 is positioned within the channel 720 of the cover tray 32, abutting the inner pocket 380 of the opposing corner supports 36. In further non-limiting examples, the cross brace 778 is coupled to the corner supports 36, such as by being inserted through the receiving cutouts 408 in the opposing corner supports 36 and positioned in the interior cavities 410, positioned in the upper recesses 372, positioned in locking features 432, positioned in the upper recessed regions 502, and/or positioned in the receiving channels 504. In step 866, the upper protectors 704 may also be coupled to the cover tray 32. The upper protectors 704 may be utilized with or without the cross braces 700, 702 on the cover tray 32, and may be used in combination with different configurations of the cover tray 32 and/or the brace feature 52.

[00218] In step 868, the cover tray 32 is positioned on the appliance 12. The sidewalls 602 are configured to extend along sides of the appliance 12 and over the tops of the corner supports 36. The corner supports 36 are configured to abut the upper panel 600 of the cover tray 32. In this way, the cross braces 700, 702, 722, 778 and the upper protector 704 do not substantially impinge the engagement between the corner supports 36 and the cover tray 32. In examples with the two cross braces 700, 702, 778 (see FIGS. 25 and 48), as the cover tray 32 is positioned on the top 34 of the appliance 12, the cross braces 700, 702, 778 are positioned within the upper recesses 372 or the upper recessed regions 502 formed by the corner supports 36. In such examples, the upper protector 704 may also engage the appliance 12.

[00219] In step 870, the outer retainer 54 is positioned about the appliance 12 and assembled components of the packaging assembly 10. The outer retainer 54 may have a variety of configurations, such as straps 806, a plastic outer wrapper (e.g., the outer casing 56 or the stretch film 804), or an outer carton (e.g., the cover envelope 808), formed of corrugated or honeycomb boards. The outer retainer 54 may be advantageous for retaining the components of the packaging assembly 10 together as a single unit and in an abutting relationship with the appliance 12, as well as reducing movement of the packaging assembly 10 and appliance 12 relative to one another. The packaged appliance assembly 60 may then be transported for shipping or storage. The steps 852-870 of the method 850 may be repeated, omitted, duplicated, performed in any order, performed simultaneously, etc. without departing from the teachings herein.

[00220] Referring again to FIGS. 1-57, for each of the configurations described herein, the components of the packaging assembly 10, including the base tray assembly 14, the cover tray 32, the brace feature 52, the additional lower and upper protectors 62, 64, 66, 704, 770, and the corner supports 36, are each constructed of wood-based or paper- based materials. Generally, these materials include wood blocks, cardboard, corrugated or fluted board(s), angle board(s), honeycomb board(s) or panel(s), etc. The various components constructed of corrugated board or honeycomb panels may be constructed using one or more boards or panels that are die-cut to form the various features on the components. The paper-based material may have corrugation, fluting, honeycomb, other repeated patterns, or other tessellated patterns. The packaging assembly 10 is free of any EPS material. In this way, the packaged appliance assembly 60 does not include any EPS materials or any additional EPS-based components.

[00221] Moreover, the packaged appliance assemblies 60 include features for supporting and retaining cross brace features 52 in the cover tray 32 or between corner supports 36 where the cover tray 32, the corner supports 36, and the brace feature 52 are constructed of paper-based materials or wood. Further, the paper-based and EPS-free corner supports 36 can retain a more central brace feature 52 along the height of the appliance 12.

[00222] The stacked layers of the perimeter support 24 provide a cushioning effect to the appliance 12, while not significantly increasing the side of the packaged appliance assembly 60. In various examples, the perimeter support 24 has the four sections 170- 176, 200-206, 336-342, where the construction and arrangement of the support boards 26 are designed to withstand shipping forces by arranging the fluting in specific directions 240, 242. Further, in configurations with the cross members 300, the vertical support boards 252, the vertical protectors 66, or the support panels 356, these features are utilized for absorbing loads and forces, such as downward forces from the appliance 12 or additional stacked appliance assemblies 60.

[00223] The corner receiving spaces provide an area for inserting the corner supports 36 and maintaining proper alignment of the corner supports 36. The corner supports 36 assist in absorbing stacking load on the overall packaged appliance assembly 60 and protect the appliance 12 in the front and rear. When inclined, the angle boards (e.g., the outer layer 368 of the corner supports 36 in FIG. 24 and/or the outer layer 402 and the inner layer 404 of the corner supports 36 in FIG. 26) assist in absorbing stacking load, and the honeycomb layers 370, 406 of the corner supports 36 assist with absorbing stacking load and/or protecting the surfaces of the appliance 12. The vertical fluting 436 of certain configurations of the corner supports 36 can similarly absorb the stacking load. Further, the locating apertures 28, 220, 332 provide proper alignment of the appliance 12 with the base tray assembly 14. Moreover, the base tray 18 assists with holding the appliance 12 on the perimeter support 24 and absorbing any initial forces.

[00224] The cover tray 32 assists in holding the overall assembly and absorbing initial forces. The cross braces 700, 702, 722, 778 are configured to absorb compression load during clamping, which may be a result of trucks used to move the product within the distribution network. The additional upper protector 704 may assist in reducing machine tilting while the packaged appliance assembly 60 is inclined, particularly reducing forward-and-back tilt. Moreover, the packaging assembly 10 disclosed herein maintains an overall size for the packaged appliance assembly 60, which allows for consistent stacking with various containers during the shipping process.

[00225] Various components of the packaging assembly 10 and the appliance 12 are illustrated and described herein. These combinations are merely exemplary. It is contemplated that any combination of the components described herein may be used alone or in combination with one another. Further, the various components of the packaging assembly 10 may be used with any configuration of the appliance 12 without departing from the teachings herein.

[00226] Use of the present device may provide for a variety of advantages. For example, the packaging assembly 10 may be constructed of environmentally friendly materials, such as wooden and/or paper-based materials, while omitting any EPS-based components. Moreover, the packaging assembly 10 may provide increased protection to the appliance 12 during the shipping process compared to conventional EPS designs. Further, the packaging assembly 10 may be utilized for a variety of appliances 12. Additionally, the various components of the packaging assembly 10 may be constructed in certain geometries and sizes based on the appliance 12 to be protected. Also, the base tray assembly 14 includes multiple layers of support boards 26, support panels 302, and/or the base support layer 68, which assist in cushioning the appliance 12 and absorbing load during the shipping process. Further, the packaging assembly 10 includes the brace feature 52 for protecting against clamping forces, while maintaining the size of the packaged appliance assembly 60, which can also be supported along the height of the appliance 12 by the corner supports 36. Additional benefits or advantages may be realized and/or achieved.

[00227] The device disclosed herein is further summarized in the following paragraphs and further characterized by combinations of any and all the aspects described herein.

[00228] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an appliance packaging assembly includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance. The base tray assembly includes a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel. A perimeter support is disposed on the bottom panel. The perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another. The perimeter support defines locating apertures and a central opening. A cover tray is configured to be disposed over a top of an appliance. Corner supports extend between the base tray and the cover tray.

[00229] According to another aspect, each of a base tray assembly, a cover tray, and corner supports are constructed of paper-based materials.

[00230] According to another aspect, each of a base tray assembly, a cover tray, and the corner supports are constructed of corrugated cardboard.

[00231] According to another aspect, a packaging assembly is free of expanded polystyrene.

[00232] According to another aspect, locating apertures are defined in corners of a perimeter support for receiving feet of an appliance.

[00233] According to another aspect, a base tray assembly further includes cross members. A perimeter support defines receiving notches. The cross members are positioned in the receiving notches and below the perimeter support.

[00234] According to another aspect, cross members are each formed of support plates arranged in a side-stacked configuration.

[00235] According to another aspect, a perimeter support has a height less than a height of sidewalls of a base tray.

[00236] According to another aspect, a perimeter support defines corner notches. The corner supports are disposed in a receiving space defined between the corner notches and sidewalls of a base tray. [00237] According to another aspect, a cover tray includes an upper panel and sidewalls extending from the upper panel. The cover tray defines a channel along one of the sidewalls.

[00238] According to another aspect, a cross brace is disposed within a channel.

[00239] According to another aspect, a cross brace is constructed of paper-based material.

[00240] According to another aspect, corner supports include a first corner support and a second corner support, and a cross brace extends between and is supported by the first and second corner supports.

[00241] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each defines a receiving cutout and a receiving cavity for receiving opposing ends of a cross brace.

[00242] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each include an inner layer and an outer layer. The outer layer has a greater height than the inner layer to define an upper recess for receiving opposing ends of a cross brace.

[00243] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each define an upper recessed region for receiving opposing ends of a cross brace.

[00244] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each define a receiving channel along a height of the first and second corner supports, respectively, for receiving opposing ends of a cross brace.

[00245] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each include a flap configured to extend over a receiving channel to retain a cross brace in the receiving channel.

[00246] According to another aspect, first and second corner supports each include a locking feature defining a receiving channel for receiving opposing ends of a cross brace.

[00247] According to another aspect, locking features are disposed at a junction between first and second sides of first and second corner supports, respectively.

[00248] According to another aspect, an upper protector is coupled to an inner surface of a cover tray.

[00249] According to another aspect, a space is defined between an upper protector and a sidewall of a cover tray to receive an upwardly extending portion of an appliance. [00250] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a packaging assembly for an appliance includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance. The base tray assembly includes a base tray including a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel. A perimeter support extends adjacent to the sidewalls. The perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another. A cover tray assembly is configured to receive a top of the appliance. The cover tray assembly includes a cover tray including an upper panel and sidewalls extending from the upper panel. The cover tray defines a channel, and a cross brace is disposed within the channel.

[00251] According to another aspect, corner supports extend between a base tray assembly and a cover tray assembly.

[00252] According to another aspect, a base tray assembly and a cover tray assembly are constructed of paper-based materials.

[00253] According to yet another aspect, a cross brace has a height greater than a height of sidewalls of a cover tray.

[00254] According to another aspect, an appliance packaging assembly includes a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance, where the base tray assembly includes a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel and a base support layer disposed on the bottom panel and extending along each of the sidewalls. The base support layer defines locating apertures and corner notches. The base tray assembly also includes a lower vertical protector formed of vertically oriented support panels. The lower vertical protector is positioned on the base support layer. A cover tray is configured to be disposed over a top of the appliance. An upper protector is coupled to an inner surface of the cover tray. Corner supports extend between the base tray and the cover tray.

[00255] According to another aspect, an upper protector defines recesses.

[00256] According to another aspect, a space is defined between an upper protector and a sidewall of a cover tray to receive a vertically extending portion of a top of an appliance.

[00257] According to another aspect, a perimeter support is positioned on a base support layer. [00258] According to another aspect, corner supports are formed of layers of corrugated board.

[00259] According to another aspect, corner supports define recesses for providing space for protruding components of an appliance.

[00260] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of packaging an appliance includes forming a base tray from a base blank, forming a perimeter support having multiple layers of at least one of support boards and support panels. The perimeter support defines a central opening. The method also includes positioning the perimeter support on the base tray, positioning an appliance on the perimeter support, positioning corner supports on the base tray and along the appliance, positioning a cross brace to extend between two of the corner supports, and positioning a cover tray over the appliance.

[00261] According to yet another aspect, a step of positioning a cross brace includes positioning the cross brace in a channel defined by a cover tray.

[00262] According to yet another aspect, a step of positioning a cross brace includes coupling the cross brace to two corner supports.

[00263] According to yet another aspect, a method includes positioning an outer retainer about a cover tray, an appliance, and a base tray.

[00264] It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.

[00265] For purposes of this disclosure, the term "coupled" (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated. [00266] It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes, and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, paper types of different quality, type of fluting for corrugated boards, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.

[00267] It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance packaging assembly, comprising: a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance, the base tray assembly including: a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel; and a perimeter support disposed on the bottom panel, wherein the perimeter support is formed of support boards stacked on one another, and wherein the perimeter support defines locating apertures and a central opening; a cover tray configured to be disposed over a top of the appliance; and corner supports extending between the base tray and the cover tray.

2. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the base tray assembly, the cover tray, and the corner supports are constructed of paper-based materials.

3. The appliance packaging assembly of either of claims 1 or 2, wherein each of the base tray assembly, the cover tray, and the corner supports are constructed of corrugated cardboard.

4. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-3, wherein said packaging assembly is free of expanded polystyrene.

5. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the locating apertures are defined in corners of the perimeter support for receiving feet of the appliance.

6. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the base tray assembly further includes: cross members, wherein the perimeter support defines receiving notches, and wherein the cross members are positioned in the receiving notches and below the perimeter support.

7. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the cross members are each formed of support plates arranged in a side-stacked configuration.

8. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the perimeter support has a height less than a height of the sidewalls of the base tray.

9. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the perimeter support defines corner notches, and wherein the corner supports are disposed in a receiving space defined between the corner notches and the sidewalls of the base tray.

10. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the cover tray includes an upper panel and sidewalls extending from the upper panel, and wherein the cover tray defines a channel along one of the sidewalls.

11. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 10, wherein a cross brace is disposed within the channel.

12. The appliance packaging assembly of either one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the cross brace is constructed of paper-based material.

13. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising: a cross brace, wherein the corner supports include a first corner support and a second corner support, and wherein the cross brace extends between and is supported by the first and second corner supports.

14. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second corner supports each defines a receiving cutout and a receiving cavity for receiving opposing ends of the cross brace.

15. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second corner supports each includes an inner layer and an outer layer, and wherein the outer layer has a greater height than the inner layer to define an upper recess for receiving opposing ends of the cross brace.

16. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second corner supports each define an upper recessed region for receiving opposing ends of the cross brace.

17. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second corner supports each defines a receiving channel along a height of the first and second corner supports, respectively, for receiving opposing ends of the cross brace.

18. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 17, wherein the first and second corner supports each includes a flap configured to extend over the receiving channel to retain the cross brace in the receiving channel.

19. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 13, wherein the first and second corner supports each includes a locking feature defining a receiving channel for receiving opposing ends of the cross brace.

20. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 19, wherein the locking features are disposed at a junction between first and second sides of the first and second corner supports, respectively.

21. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 1-9 or 13-20, further comprising: an upper protector coupled to an inner surface of the cover tray.

22. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 21, wherein a space is defined between the upper protector and a sidewall of the cover tray to receive an upwardly extending portion of the appliance.

23. A packaging assembly for an appliance, comprising: a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of said appliance, the base tray assembly including: a base tray including a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel; and a perimeter support extending adjacent to the sidewalls, the perimeter support being formed of support boards stacked on one another; and a cover tray assembly configured to receive a top of said appliance, the cover tray assembly including: a cover tray including an upper panel and sidewalls extending from the upper panel, wherein the cover tray defines a channel; and a cross brace disposed within the channel.

24. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 23, further comprising: corner supports extending between the base tray assembly and the cover tray assembly.

25. The appliance packaging assembly of either one of claims 23 or 24, wherein the base tray assembly and the cover tray assembly are constructed of paper-based materials.

26. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 23-25, wherein the cross brace has a height greater than a height of the sidewalls of the cover tray.

27. An appliance packaging assembly, comprising: a base tray assembly configured to receive a bottom of an appliance, the base tray assembly including: a base tray having a bottom panel and sidewalls extending from the bottom panel; a base support layer disposed on the bottom panel and extending along each of the sidewalls, wherein the base support layer defines locating apertures and corner notches; and a lower vertical protector formed of vertically oriented support panels, wherein the lower vertical protector is positioned on the base support layer; a cover tray configured to be disposed over a top of the appliance; an upper protector coupled to an inner surface of the cover tray; and corner supports extending between the base tray and the cover tray.

28. The appliance packaging assembly of claim 27, wherein the upper protector defines recesses.

29. The appliance packaging assembly of either one of claims 27 or 28, wherein a space is defined between the upper protector and a sidewall of the cover tray to receive a vertically extending portion of the top of the appliance.

30. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 27-29, further comprising: a perimeter support positioned on the base support layer.

31. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 27-30, wherein the corner supports are formed of layers of corrugated board.

32. The appliance packaging assembly of any one of claims 27-31, wherein the corner supports define recesses for providing space for protruding components of the appliance.

33. A method of packaging an appliance, comprising: forming a base tray from a base blank; forming a perimeter support having multiple layers of at least one of support boards and support panels, the perimeter support defining a central opening; positioning the perimeter support on the base tray; positioning the appliance on the perimeter support; positioning corner supports on the base tray and along the appliance; positioning a cross brace to extend between two of the corner supports; and positioning a cover tray over the appliance.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of positioning the cross brace includes: positioning the cross brace in a channel defined by the cover tray.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of positioning the cross brace includes: coupling the cross brace to the two of the corner supports.

36. The method of any one of claims 33-35, further comprising: positioning an outer retainer about the cover tray, the appliance, and the base tray.