Patent ID: 8317150
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. A shipping base for use with an appliance having an undercarriage, the shipping base shaped substantially like a truncated pyramid, the shipping base comprising: opposing, slanted side panels extending upward from a bottom edge to a top edge and having first upwardly converging vertical edges; opposing, slanted end panels extending upward from a bottom edge to a top edge and having second upwardly converging vertical edges; the side panels and end panels being joined together to form the major lateral faces of a square truncated pyramid having four corner panels; each corner panel being beveled and sharing a first upwardly converging vertical edge with one of the side panels and sharing a second upwardly converging vertical edge with one of the end panels; a flange extending horizontally outward from the bottom edge of each side panel and the bottom edge of each end panel to form a rectangular, frame-like pallet having four corners, the frame-like pallet defining feet openings at each corner configured to receive appliance feet, the frame-like pallet also defining L-shaped spaces at each corner to accommodate vertical corner posts; and a top panel extending horizontally inward from the top edges of the side panels and end panels, the top panel at least partly defining a top opening configured to receive the undercarriage; the side panels, end panels, corner panels and top panel defining an interior space within the base within which the undercarriage can be suspended; wherein the shipping base is made from a single piece of expanded foam material, and wherein the top opening extends into one of the end panels.