Packaging system

Abstract

A packaging or container system can include a cradle portion and/or a handle engaging portion. The cradle portion can include a plurality of panel configured to form a cradle for an article to be packaged. The cradle portion can be made monolithically with an outer container portion from a single piece of corrugated cardboard. The handle engaging portion can be formed of a foldable panel with at least one aperture configured to engage a protruding portion of an article to be packaged, such as the handle of a coffee mug. The handle engaging portion can also be made monolithically with an outer container portion from a single piece of corrugated cardboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging system for packaging an article and maintaining the article therein, the packaging system comprising:
 a first article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a first height, a second article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a second height that is less than the first height, and a third article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a third height that is less than the first and second heights;   a monolithic member configured to be folded into a container, the monolithic member comprising:
 a top, a bottom, and first, second, third and fourth sidewalls and an interior member;
 wherein the top is configured to be moved between opened and closed positions; 
 wherein in the closed position, the top, bottom, first sidewall, second sidewall, third sidewall, and fourth sidewall form an enclosed interior space and in the opened position form an open interior space; 
 wherein the top comprises a first panel, a second panel and a latch panel that are foldable between the opened and closed positions; 
 wherein the bottom comprises a first, second, third and fourth bottom panels that are configured to fold into a predetermined bottom wall configuration; and 
 
 an M-shaped cradle member comprising:
 a first angled panel portion connected to the first sidewall along a first fold so as to be foldable between a first unfolded orientation in which the first angled portion is generally parallel to the first sidewall and a second folded position in which the first angled portion extends into the open interior space at an angle relative to the first sidewall; 
 a central panel portion connected to the first angled portion along a second fold and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the central panel portion is approximately parallel to the bottom of the enclosed interior space; 
 a second angled portion connected to the central portion and folded along a third fold and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the second angled portion extends at an angle relative to the central panel portion and the second sidewall of the enclosed interior space; and 
 a first leg panel portion connected to the second angled portion along a fourth fold and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the first leg panel portion abuts the second sidewall of the enclosed interior space and contacts the bottom of the enclosed interior space; 
 wherein the first angled panel portion, the central panel portion, and the second angled panel portion form a cradle configured to support the article, and wherein the first leg panel portion and the first sidewall support the first angled panel portion, the central panel portion, and the second angled panel portion at a position spaced above the bottom of the enclosed interior space so as to support the article at a position spaced above the bottom of the enclosed interior space, in use; 
 
  wherein the top comprises:
 a first foldable top panel portion connected to the third sidewall, the first foldable top panel having at least two first spacer folds configured to allow the first foldable top panel to be folded into a first spacer having a first thickness, wherein the first spacer is spaced at a first spacing from the central panel portion by a first height, in use; 
 a second foldable top panel portion connected to the fourth sidewall, the second foldable top panel having at least two second spacer folds configured to allow the second foldable top panel to be folded into a second spacer having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, wherein the second spacer is spaced at a second spacing from the central panel portion by a second height that is shorter than the first height, in use; 
 wherein the first and second foldable top panels, when they are not folded into the first and second spacers, are spaced from the central panel portion by a third height that is greater than the first and second height; 
 wherein the at least two first spacer folds and the at least two second spacer folds are configured to cradle articles having three different heights by using the first and second foldable top panels in an unfolded state to cradle a first article having the first height, using the first foldable top panel folded to form the first spacer for cradling the second article having the second height that is less than the first height, and using the second top panel folded to form the second spacer for cradling the third article having the third height that is less than the first and second heights; 
 a second foldable top panel portion connected to the fourth sidewall; 
 
 wherein the first and second leg panel is sized and configured such that, when the M-shaped cradle is folded into the open interior space, an air gap is created between the central portion of the M-shaped cradle portion and the bottom; 
 wherein the first leg panel portion is configured to deflect individually or in tandem without allowing the central portion of the M-shaped cradle to contact the bottom when the container is mishandled during transport. 
   
     
     
         2 . The packaging system of  claim 1  wherein the first foldable top panel portion comprises a slot configured to engage a handle of a coffee mug. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a viewing hole located on a sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . A packaging system for packaging an article and maintaining the article therein, the packaging system comprising:
 an outer container portion comprising a top, a bottom, and first, second, third and fourth sidewalls;
 wherein the top is configured to be moved between opened and closed positions; 
 wherein in the closed position, the top, bottom, first sidewall, second sidewall, third sidewall, and fourth sidewall form an enclosed interior space and in the opened position form an open interior space; and 
   a cradle portion comprising:
 a first angled panel portion connected to the first sidewall foldable between into an orientation in which the first angled portion extends into the open interior space at an angle relative to the first sidewall; 
 a central panel portion connected to the first angled portion and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the central panel portion is approximately parallel to the bottom of the enclosed interior space, in use; 
 a second angled portion connected to the central portion and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the second angled portion extends at an angle relative to the central panel portion and the second sidewall of the enclosed interior space; and 
 a first leg panel portion connected to the second angled portion and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the first leg panel portion abuts the second sidewall of the enclosed interior space and contacts the bottom of the enclosed interior space, in use; 
 wherein the cradle portion is configured to support an article in a position spaced from the bottom, in use. 
   
     
     
         5 . The packaging system of  claim 4  wherein the top is configured to be foldable into three different configurations which limit the enclosed interior space to three different heights, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging system of  claim 4  wherein the outer container portion and the cradle portion are made from a single monolithic piece of corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging system of  claim 4  wherein the top comprises a first foldable top panel portion connected to the third sidewall, the first foldable top panel having at least two first spacer folds configured to allow the first foldable top panel to be folded into a first spacer having a first thickness, wherein the first spacer is spaced at a first spacing from the central panel portion by a first height, in use. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging system of  claim 7  wherein the top further comprises a second foldable top panel portion connected to the fourth sidewall, the second foldable top panel having at least two second spacer folds configured to allow the second foldable top panel to be folded into a second spacer having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, wherein the second spacer is spaced at a second spacing from the central panel portion by a second height that is shorter than the first height, in use. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging system of  claim 8  wherein the first and second foldable top panels, when they are not folded into the first and second spacers, are spaced from the central panel portion by a third height that is greater than the first and second height, in use. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging system of  claim 9  wherein the at least two first spacer folds and the at least two second spacer folds are configured to cradle articles having three different heights by using the first and second foldable top panels in an unfolded state to cradle a first article having the first height, using the first foldable top panel folded to form the first spacer for cradling the second article having the second height that is less than the first height, and using the second top panel folded to form the second spacer for cradling the third article having the third height that is less than the first and second heights. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging system of  claim 10  additionally comprising a first article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a first height, a second article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a second height that is less than the first height, and a third article comprising a generally cylindrical outer shape having a third height that is less than the first and second heights. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging system of  claim 4  wherein the first leg panel portion and the first sidewall support the first angled panel portion, the central panel portion, and the second angled panel portion at a position spaced above the bottom of the enclosed interior space so as to support the article at a position spaced above the bottom of the enclosed interior space, in use. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging system of  claim 4  wherein the top comprises at least one handle engaging panel connected to the third sidewall and including at least one aperture configured to engage a handle of a mug, in use. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging system of  claim 13  wherein the at least one handle engaging panel is configured to engage an upper end and a lower end of the handle of a mug, in use. 
     
     
         15 . A packaging system for packaging an article, the packaging system comprising:
 an outer container portion comprising a top, a bottom, and first, second, third and fourth sidewalls;   a cradle portion comprising:
 a first panel portion connected to the first sidewall; 
 a central panel portion connected to the first panel portion; 
 a second panel portion connected to the central portion; and 
 a first leg panel portion connected to the second panel portion and configured to be foldable into an orientation in which the first leg panel portion abuts the second sidewall and contacts the bottom, in use; 
 wherein the first panel portion, the central panel portion and the second panel portion are configured to form a cradle and to support an article in a position spaced from the bottom, in use. 
   
     
     
         16 . The packaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the top is configured to be moved between opened and closed positions and wherein in the closed position, the top, bottom, first sidewall, second sidewall, third sidewall, and fourth sidewall form an enclosed interior space and in the opened position form an open interior space. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging system of  claim 15  wherein the top is configured to be foldable into three different configurations which limit an interior space of the outer container portion to three different heights, respectively. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging system of  claim 15  wherein the outer container portion and the cradle portion are made from a single monolithic piece of corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging system of  claim 15  wherein the top comprises a first foldable top panel portion connected to the third sidewall, the first foldable top panel having at least two first spacer folds configured to allow the first foldable top panel to be folded into a first spacer having a first thickness, wherein the first spacer is spaced at a first spacing from the central panel portion by a first height, in use. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging system of  claim 19  wherein the top further comprises a second foldable top panel portion connected to the fourth sidewall, the second foldable top panel having at least two second spacer folds configured to allow the second foldable top panel to be folded into a second spacer having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, wherein the second spacer is spaced at a second spacing from the central panel portion by a second height that is shorter than the first height, in use. 
     
     
         21 . The packaging system of  claim 20  wherein the first and second foldable top panels, when they are not folded into the first and second spacers, are spaced from the central panel portion by a third height that is greater than the first and second height, in use. 
     
     
         22 . The packaging system of  claim 21  wherein the at least two first spacer folds and the at least two second spacer folds are configured to cradle articles having three different heights by using the first and second foldable top panels in an unfolded state to cradle a first article having the first height, using the first foldable top panel folded to form the first spacer for cradling the second article having the second height that is less than the first height, and using the second top panel folded to form the second spacer for cradling the third article having the third height that is less than the first and second heights. 
     
     
         23 . The packaging system of  claim 15  wherein the top comprises at least one handle engaging panel connected to the third sidewall and including at least one aperture configured to engage a handle of a mug, in use. 
     
     
         24 . The packaging system of  claim 23  wherein the at least one handle engaging panel is configured to engage an upper end and a lower end of the handle of a mug, in use.