Bottle shipping packaging

Abstract

Packaging systems for shipping bottles of varying sizes are disclosed. In embodiments, the packaging system includes a top packaging piece and bottom packaging piece, each formed as a molded piece. The top packaging piece includes a plurality of tapered cavities, each sized to receive the neck of one of the bottles. The bottom packaging piece includes a corresponding plurality of tapered cavities, each sized to receive the bottom of one of the bottles. The center packaging piece is formed from a single sheet of flat material such as cardboard, and is folded in upon itself to form a spacer between the top and bottom packaging pieces. The center packaging piece includes a plurality of apertures corresponding to the cavities in the top and bottom packaging pieces to pass through each bottle from the top to bottom packaging pieces.

1 . A packaging system for a plurality of bottles, comprising:
 a top packaging piece comprised of a plurality of cavities and a plurality of shock absorbing features;   a bottom packaging piece comprised of a plurality of cavities and a plurality of shock absorbing features; and   a center packaging piece comprising a plurality of apertures, disposed between the top packaging piece and the bottom packaging piece,   wherein:
 each cavity in the top packaging piece is tapered and sized to receive the neck of one of the plurality of bottles, 
 each cavity in the bottom packaging piece is tapered and sized to receive the bottom of the one of the plurality of bottles, 
 each aperture in the center packaging piece is sized to receive the one of the plurality of bottles, and 
 the center packaging piece is formed from a flat sheet of material that is folded in upon itself. 
   
     
     
         2 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bottles is a wine bottle. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the top packaging piece and bottom packaging piece are each formed from molded paper fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging system of  claim 3 , wherein the center packaging piece is formed from cardboard. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one aperture of the center packaging piece is comprised of a top hole and a bottom hole, the bottom hole having a larger diameter than the top hole. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging system of  claim 4 , wherein each aperture of the center packaging piece has a plurality of protrusions directed radially inward from a rim of the aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the center packaging piece is formed by folding the cardboard upon itself in a plurality of ninety-degree bends, to form a plurality of vertical sidewalls. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging system of  claim 7 , wherein of each of the plurality of vertical sidewalls is of a common height selected to result in an overall height of the packaging system approximately equal with an inner height of a box to enclose the packaging system. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging system of  claim 7 , wherein the vertical sidewalls define a first plane having the plurality of apertures, and a plurality of second planes disposed distally from the first plane, each of the second planes having a subset of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the first plane is disposed upon the top packaging piece when the packaging system is assembled. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the first plane is disposed upon the bottom packaging piece when the packaging system is assembled. 
     
     
         12 . A packaging piece, comprising a substantially flat sheet, wherein:
 the flat sheet defines a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region;   the first region defines a first plurality of apertures;   the third region defines a second plurality of apertures that correspond to at least a subset of the first plurality of apertures;   and   wherein, when a portion of the fourth region is secured to the first region, the second and fourth regions define sidewalls that are bounded by the first and third regions.   
     
     
         13 . The packaging piece of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the substantially flat sheet comprises corrugated cardboard,   the corrugated cardboard comprises a plurality of ribs that define a strength axis, and   the strength axis is oriented to run along the second and fourth regions between the first and third regions.   
     
     
         14 . The packaging piece of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth regions are defined by a score line that runs across the strength axis. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging piece of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of apertures are smaller in diameter than the second plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging piece of  claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of apertures are larger in diameter than the second plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging piece of  claim 12 , wherein each of the first plurality of apertures is defined by a rim, and each of the first plurality of apertures further comprises a plurality of protrusions disposed on the rim and projecting radially inward into the aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging piece of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first region further comprises a plurality of slots;   the fourth region comprises an edge with a plurality of protrusions, and   wherein each of the plurality of protrusions is sized and disposed to fit within a corresponding one of the plurality of slots, and   wherein the portion of the fourth region is secured to the first region by insertion of each of the plurality of protrusions into its corresponding one of the plurality of slots.