초록 ▼

New molded pulp and molded fiber structures provide interior package cushioning to protect products shipped in a package. The molded pulp fiber interior package cushioning (IPC) structure defines a cavity for receiving and holding a product to be shipped. The IPC structure incorporates a plurality o

New molded pulp and molded fiber structures provide interior package cushioning to protect products shipped in a package. The molded pulp fiber interior package cushioning (IPC) structure defines a cavity for receiving and holding a product to be shipped. The IPC structure incorporates a plurality of structural ribs in the form of elongate hollow ridges molded in the IPC structure and extending between different locations for reinforcing the IPC structure between the locations. The IPC structure comprises intersecting ribs extending in at least two orthogonal directions or axes. The ribs are crushable structures positioned and distributed around the cavity for protecting a product in the cavity by crushing and absorbing energy in response to mechanical shock acceleration caused by impacts and vibration accelerations imparted by transport modes, for accelerations approaching a design limit or threshold acceleration at which damage or breakage may occur to a sensitive element of the product shipped in the package. The IPC structure also incorporates a plurality of structural pods in the form of hollow recesses or wells substantially symmetrical in cross section and molded with selected depths in the IPC structure at different locations. The pods are also crushable structures positioned and distributed around the cavity to provide additional protection for a product. Other IPC cushioning structures include rows of pods, fillets, podded ribs, anti-hinge ribs, stacking ribs and pods, crush ribs, suspension ribs, shelves, cavities, reinforcing cavity shapes, corner protectors, etc.

대표청구항 ▼

A new structure for interior package cushioning to protect products shipped in a package comprising: at least one molded pulp fiber interior package cushioning (IPC) structure formed with at least one cavity defining a cavity surface for receiving and holding a product to be shipped; said IPC struct

A new structure for interior package cushioning to protect products shipped in a package comprising: at least one molded pulp fiber interior package cushioning (IPC) structure formed with at least one cavity defining a cavity surface for receiving and holding a product to be shipped; said IPC structure comprising a plurality of structural ribs in the form of elongate hollow ridges molded n the IPC structure and extending between different locations on the IPC structure for reinforcing the IPC structure between the locations, said structural ribs of the IPC structure comprising intersecting ribs extending in two orthogonal elongate directions relative to each other; a product having a breakable element held in said cavity contacting the cavity surface, said breakable element being subject to breakage at a threshold acceleration; said structural ribs comprising crushable structures positioned and distributed around the cavity of the IPC structure with the bottoms of the structural ribs being spaced from the cavity surface and being constructed for protecting a product held in the cavity by crushing and absorbing energy in response to any mechanical shock and vibration accelerations imparted to the package exceeding said threshold acceleration and by limiting accelerations transmitted to the product to accelerations up to said threshold acceleration. A new structure for interior package cushioning to protect products shipped in a package comprising: a plurality of molded pulp fiber interior package cushioning (IPC) structures each formed with a plurality of cavities, each cavity defining at least one cavity surface for receiving and holding a product to be shipped; said IPC structures each comprising a plurality of structural ribs in the form of elongate hollow ridges molded in the IPC structure and extending between different locations on the IPC structure for reinforcement between the locations; a plurality of products each having a breakable element, said products being held in said cavities contacting the respective cavity surface, said breakable elements being subject to breakage at a threshold acceleration; said structural ribs comprising crushable structures positioned and distributed around the cavities of the IPC structure with the bottoms of the structural ribs being spaced from the respective cavity surfaces for protecting products held in the cavities, said structural ribs being constructed to crush and absorb energy in response to any mechanical shock and vibration accelerations imparted to the package exceeding said threshold acceleration and to limit accelerations transmitted to the products to accelerations up to said threshold acceleration; said IPC structures comprising a plurality of structural pods in the form of hollow recesses or wells each being substantially symmetrical in cross section around a central axis and being molded with selected depths in the IPC structure at different locations, said structural pods comprising crushable structures positioned and distributed around the cavities of the IPC structure with the bottoms of the pods being spaced from the respective cavity surfaces to provide additional protection for a product held in the cavity by crushing and absorbing energy in response to any mechanical shock and vibration accelerations imparted to the package exceeding said threshold acceleration and by limiting accelerations transmitted to the product to accelerations up to said threshold acceleration, and for directing stacking and loading forces; said pods including at least one array of pods comprising at least three pods spaced closely together adjacent to each other forming valleys between the pods of the array on the outside of the array of pods, said array of pods being positioned on the IPC structure to enhance product protection, and resist crushing; said array of pods being formed with fillets of molded pulp fiber deposited in the valleys between adjacent pods on the outside of the array of pods forming a thickness of molded pulp fiber in said valleys greater than the thickness of molded pulp fiber at the adjacent pods, said fillets filling a portion of the valleys between adjacent pods partially joining the pods together for adjusting the crushability of the array of pods by increasing resistance to crushing and to hinging or bending at the valleys between adjacent pods; said pods being tapered in cross section from a greater cross section area dimension at the opening of the recess or well of the pod to a smaller cross section area dimension at the bottom of the recess or well, said taper being substantially symmetrical about a central axis of the pod.