Top cover structure for server packaging

Abstract

An apparatus stages a bag on tall equipment while providing top cushioning for transport. A top cover structure sits on the equipment's upper surface and presents, on its bottom-facing side, multiple corner components and a central component. Each corner component includes a bag-retention feature that receives and holds a portion of the bag opening, and the central component includes a bag-retention feature (optionally leading to a staging cavity) that receives and holds a portion of the bag body. Retention mechanisms include, for example, flexible petal lids, keyed lined slots, clamps, or bristle arrays. Corner components may be adjustable to fit different footprints. Variants include a one-piece board carrying all components and a modular assembly of separate corner and central components. The staged bag is then drawn down over the equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for packaging equipment, comprising:
 a top cover structure comprising a bottom-facing surface configured to be disposed on an upper surface of the equipment, the bottom-facing surface comprising:
 a plurality of corner components configured to overlie respective corner regions of the upper surface of the equipment, and 
 a central component configured to overlie a central region of the upper surface of the equipment, 
 each of the plurality of corner components comprising a first bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of an opening of a bag, and 
 the central component comprising a second bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of a body of the bag. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the central component further defines a staging cavity communicating with the second bag-retention feature, the staging cavity being sized to receive at least a majority of the body of the bag. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a volume bounded by the staging cavity of the central component is at least two times greater than a volume bounded by any recess or aperture of the plurality of corner components. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 a through-aperture spanned by a flexible lid formed from a resilient sheet comprising intersecting slits that define a plurality of petals that elastically deflect to receive and retain a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 a slot or aperture with a compliant liner that frictionally retains a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 a clamp comprising a movable jaw biased toward a fixed anvil with compliant contact pads to retain a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 an array of flexible fingers or bristles that deflect to admit and frictionally retain a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of corner components and the central component are formed from compressible cushioning material selected from expanded polyethylene, expanded polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, molded pulp, corrugated fiberboard laminates or multi-density composites. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the resilient sheet comprises:
 silicone rubber, thermoplastic polyurethane or thermoplastic elastomer, or a sheet comprising antistatic or electrostatic dissipative surface.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top cover structure is pre-assembled with at least one internal cushioning block to form a unit configured to be placed on the equipment in a single operation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first bag-retention feature is smaller in size than the second bag-retention feature. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of corner components is releasably mounted to the bottom-facing surface at a plurality of mounting locations such that spacing between the plurality of corner components is adjustable to match dimensions of the upper surface of the equipment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of corner components is engaged with a slide movable along at least one rail or slot on the bottom-facing surface and is lockable at multiple positions, such that spacing between the plurality of corner components is adjustable to match dimensions of the upper surface of the equipment. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of corner components is secured to the bottom-facing surface by a repositionable attachment selected from hook-and-loop fastener, magnetic coupling, and reusable pressure-sensitive adhesive to permit tool-free repositioning, such that spacing between the plurality of corner components is adjustable to match dimensions of the upper surface of the equipment. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, the top cover structure is disposed on the upper surface of the equipment, and the bag is staged on the equipment prior to being drawn down over the equipment. 
     
     
         16 . A board for staging a bag on equipment, the board comprising a substrate comprising a bottom-facing surface configured to be disposed on an upper surface of the equipment, the bottom-facing surface comprising:
 a plurality of corner components arranged to overlie respective corner regions of the upper surface, and   a central component arranged to overlie a central region of the upper surface,   each of the plurality of corner components comprising a first bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of an opening of the bag, and   the central component comprising a second bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of a body of the bag.   
     
     
         17 . The board of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 a through-aperture spanned by a flexible lid formed from a resilient sheet comprising intersecting slits that define a plurality of petals that elastically deflect to receive and retain a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         18 . A modular top cover structure for packaging equipment, comprising:
 a plurality of corner components and a central component,   each of the plurality of corner components being configured to be placed at a respective corner region of an upper surface of the equipment and comprising a first bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of an opening of a bag, and   the central component being configured to be placed over a central region of the upper surface of the equipment and comprising a second bag-retention feature configured to receive and retain a portion of a body of the bag.   
     
     
         19 . The modular top cover structure of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the first bag-retention feature and the second bag-retention feature comprises:
 a through-aperture spanned by a flexible lid formed from a resilient sheet comprising intersecting slits that define a plurality of petals that elastically deflect to receive and retain a portion of the bag.   
     
     
         20 . The modular top cover structure of  claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of corner components is secured to a bottom-facing surface of a cover by a repositionable attachment selected from hook-and-loop fastener, magnetic coupling, and reusable pressure-sensitive adhesive to permit tool-free repositioning, such that spacing between the plurality of corner components is adjustable to match dimensions of the upper surface of the equipment.