Packaging for fragile articles within container

Abstract

A unitary structure for packaging a shock sensitive article within a container is provided. The structure has a side flange adapted to contact a side end portion of the article and a number of sidewall structures disposed about the periphery of the flange which extend over the side end portion of the article to contactingly support the article. Each of the sidewalls cushions the article against shocks by having an outboard wall which operably and supportingly contacts the container and a bridge section integral with the inboard wall and the outboard wall to cushioningly space the outboard wall from the inboard wall. The structure also includes a crush depression integral to the flange, inward of the sidewall and generally extending away from the article to supportingly contact a lateral sidewall of the container thereby forming a cushion distance. The crush button is configured to absorb shock loading of the article directed generally toward the sidewall.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A unitary structure for packaging a shock sensitive article within a container comprising: 
       a side flange having a peripheral portion;  
       a first peripheral sidewall structure of flexible material,  
       said sidewall structure including an inboard wall integral with said peripheral portion and extending over an end  a portion of the article, an outboard wall having a distal end and a proximate end, and a bridge section integral with said inboard wall and said proximate end of said outboard wall and spacing said outboard wall from said inboard wall to form a cushion space, said bridge section forming biasing means to resiliently restrict the movement of said inboard wall toward said outboard wall upon the shock loading of said article; and  
       means for absorbing shock loading of the article generally in a first direction away from the article, said shock absorbing means including a  at least one crush depression integral with said flange, and generally extending from said flange in the first direction to supportingly contact a side wall of the container and form a cushion distance.  
     
     
       2. The structure of claim  1  wherein said depression extends in the first direction relative to said flange for a greater distance than said distal end of said outward wall. 
     
     
       3. The structure of claim  1  further including a second peripheral sidewall structure extending over the end portion of the article, integral with said peripheral portion and separated from said first wall structure along said peripheral edge portion of said flange. 
     
     
       4. The structure of claim  3  wherein said structure includes lands integral with said peripheral portion, said lands generally aligned with and extending outward from said flange to separate said first peripheral wall from said second peripheral wall. 
     
     
       5. The structure of claim  3  wherein said second sidewall structure is integral with said edge portion on an opposite side of said flange from said first sidewall structure. 
     
     
       6. The structure of claim  5  wherein said at least one depression is formed between said first sidewall and said second sidewall. 
     
     
       7. The structure of claim  1  wherein said first peripheral wall includes lateral end faces integral with said inboard wall, said outboard wall and said bridge section. 
     
     
       8. The structure of claim  1  wherein the cushion space is hollow. 
     
     
       9. The structure of claim  1  wherein said first sidewall forms a notch along the length of said sidewall. 
     
     
       10. The structure of claim  9  wherein said notch is formed midway between end faces of said sidewall. 
     
     
       11. The structure of claim  1  wherein said first sidewall forms an elevated shoulder along the length of said peripheral wall. 
     
     
       12. The structure of claim  1  including at least one flap including a second crush depression, said flap being integrally attached to a distal end portion of said sidewall structure. 
     
     
       13. A unitary structure for packaging a shock sensitive article within a container comprising: 
       a side flange having a peripheral portion;  
       a plurality of peripheral sidewall structure of flexible material, said sidewall structures including an inboard wall integral with said peripheral portion with said sidewall structures arranged about the peripheral portion to form an enclosure about an end portion of the article, said sidewall structures including an outboard wall having a distal end and a proximate end, and a bridge section integral with said inboard wall and said proximate end of said outboard wall and spacing said outboard wall from said inboard wall to form a hollow cushion space, said bridge section forming biasing means to resiliently restrict the movement of said inboard wall toward said outboard wall upon the shock loading of said article;  
       lands extending outward from said flange to separate said sidewall structures form  from each other; and  
       a crush depression integral with said flange, inward of said first wall and generally extending in a first direction from said flange away from the article to supportingly contact a sidewall of the container and form a cushion distance, said button  crush depression including means for absorbing shock loading of the article generally in the first direction.  
     
     
       14. A packaging structure for packaging an article within a container comprising: 
       
         a flange for receiving a portion of the article, said flange defining a flange plane extending along the length thereof;  
       
       
         an outer flange for positioning said packaging structure within the container, wherein said outer flange is substantially coplanar with said flange plane and extends along an outer periphery of said packaging structure;  
       
       
         at least one sidewall portion attached to said flange and positioned between said flange and said outer flange, said at least one sidewall portion being configured and arranged to provide shock protection to at least a portion of the article when the article is positioned on a first side of said flange plane; and  
       
       
         at least one hollow crush button for providing shock protection to at least a portion of the article, said at least one crush button extending at least partially from a second side of said flange plane, wherein said second side is opposite to said first side;  
       
       
         said at least one sidewall portion forming an enclosure, with said flange and said crush button being positioned within said enclosure and said outer flange being positioned outside of said enclosure. 
       
     
     
       15. The packaging structure of claim  14  wherein said at least one crush button includes an end face, wherein when said packaging structure is secured by lateral sidewalls of the container, said end face is positioned closer to an endwall of the container than other portions of said packaging structure. 
     
     
       16. The packaging structure of claim  14  further including a plurality of crush buttons, with at least one channel extending between two of said crush buttons. 
     
     
       17. The packaging structure of claim  14  wherein said at least one crush button is of a generally polygonal shaped cross- section, and includes strength pillars formed at each corner thereof.   
     
     
       18. The packaging structure of claim  14  wherein said flange, said at least one sidewall portion and said at least one crush button are integrally formed from a single layer of material. 
     
     
       19. The packaging structure of claim  14  wherein said at least one sidewall portion has a particular resiliency, and said at least one sidewall portion also includes a notch formed therein for adjusting said particular resiliency of said at least one sidewall portion. 
     
     
       20. A packaging structure for packaging an article within a container comprising: 
       
         a flange for receiving a portion of the article, said flange defining a flange plane extending along the length thereof;  
       
       
         at least one sidewall portion attached to said flange, said at least one sidewall portion being configured and arranged to extend in a first direction along a side of the article and to provide shock protection to at least a portion of the article when the article is positioned on a first side of said flange plane; and  
       
       
         wherein said at least one sidewall portion includes a middle portion extending in said first direction between two shoulder portions, said middle portion being bounded in said first direction by two faces extending generally transverse to said first direction such that said middle portion has a height with respect to said flange plane that is greater than said two shoulder portions and said middle portion has a different resiliency than said two shoulder portions, wherein said different resiliency of said middle portion is created because said middle portion has a wall thickness that is different from a wall thickness of said shoulder portions.