Abstract:
A corner protector includes a plurality of portions to surround a corner of a product, such as a window or a door. A plurality of protrusions and recesses are located on a first and second portion of the corner protector to facilitate the stacking of the product for shipping or storage. The corner protector is secured to the product by a plurality of flexible tabs that extend from the first and second portion of the corner protector and engage a lip on the product.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to corner protectors and more particularly to a corner protector that slideably engages a product. 
         [0002]    Corner protectors are attached to a variety of products during shipping and storage to protect the product from damage. Many corner protectors are made of cardboard and glued directly to the product. This prevents the corner protectors from being easily removed and reused on another product causing an increase in shipping material waste. 
         [0003]    Other corner protectors may be reusable, but they do not aid in the stackability of the products and result in the product requiring more room for shipping. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A corner protector according to the present invention includes a plurality of portions that create a product receiving space. The product receiving space accepts the corner of a product, such as a door or window, to protect it from damage during shipping or storage. 
         [0005]    The corner protector includes a plurality of protrusions and recesses that extend from a first and second portion. The plurality of protrusions on a first portion are accepted into a plurality of recesses on a second portion and vise versa when the product is in a stacked orientation. 
         [0006]    The corner protector includes a plurality of flexible tabs that extend from an edge on the first and second portions to engage a lip on a product to secure the corner protector to the product. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an interior perspective view of a corner protector according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exterior perspective view of the corner protector. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the corner protectors located on a window. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the corner protectors located on a door. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the corner protectors located on the corners of a plurality of windows in a stacked orientation. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the corner protectors located on a window more clearly showing a plurality of flexible tabs. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the corner protectors located on the window in a vertically stacked orientation on a rack. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an interior perspective view of a corner protector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an exterior perspective view of the corner protector of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the corner protector of  FIG. 8  located on the window. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the corner protector of  FIG. 8  located on the window in a stacked orientation. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged perspective view of the corner protector of  FIG. 8  more clearly showing a plurality of flexible tabs. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    A corner protector  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The corner protector  10  includes a planar, L-shaped first portion  12  and a planar, L-shaped second portion  14 . The first portion  12  and the second portion  14  are spaced apart in a parallel orientation by means of a connecting portion  16 . The connecting portion  16  is located perpendicular to the first portion  12  and the second portion  14 . A product receiving space  22  is formed between the first portion  12  and the second portion  14  to receive a product. The first portion  12  and the second portion  14  have an interior edge  18 . A plurality of flexible tabs  20  extend from the interior edge  18  of the first portion  12  and the second portion  14  into the product receiving space  22 . The plurality of flexible tabs  20  are perpendicular to the first portion  12  and the second portion  14 . 
         [0021]    The first portion  12  and the second portion  14  include a plurality of protrusions  24  and a plurality of openings  26 . The plurality of protrusions  24  on the first portion  12  protrude upward (i.e. away from the product-receiving space  22 ) and are vertically aligned with the plurality of openings  26  on the second portion  14 . Likewise, the plurality of protrusions  24  on the second portion  142  protrude downward (i.e. away from the product-receiving space  22 ) and are vertically aligned with the plurality of openings  26  on the second portion  12 . Of course, other protrusion accepting means could be used such as a plurality of depressions instead of the plurality of openings  26 . 
         [0022]    The first portion  12  and the second portion  14  include a plurality of ribs  28 . The plurality of ribs  28  extend vertically from the first portion  12  and the second portion  14  into the product receiving space  22 . The plurality of ribs  28  are oriented substantially diagonal to the edge  18  and parallel to one another. The plurality of ribs  28  extend less than half of the distance between the first portion  12  and the second portion  14 . The plurality of ribs  28  have a tapered corner  30  to aid in guiding the product into the product receiving space  22 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a second perspective view of the corner protector  10 . A plurality of holes  32  are located adjacent the first portion  12 , and the second portion  14  to aid in the manufacturability of the plurality of flexible tabs  20 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the corner protectors  10  located on a window  36 . The corners of the window  36  are accepted into the product receiving spaces  22  of the corner protectors  10 . A spacing  34  is maintained by the ribs  28  between a first window surface  38  and a second window surface  40  and the first portion  12  and the second portion  14 , respectively. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the corner protectors  10  located on a door  46 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the corner protectors  10  located on the window  36  in a stacked orientation. The plurality of protrusions  24  and the plurality of openings  26  in the second portion  14  of the corner protector  10  mate with a plurality of openings  26 ′ and a plurality of protrusions  24 ′ in a similar corner protector  10 ′ located on a window  36 ′ to form a stacked orientation. The plurality of protrusions  24  are able to penetrate the plurality of openings  26 ′ due to a spacing  34 ′ created by a plurality of ribs  28 ′ located on the similar corner protector  10 ′. The corner protectors  10  protect the corners of the windows  36 ,  36 ′ from damage while increasing the stability of the stack of windows  36 ,  36 ′. The corner protectors  10  are reusuable and/or recyclable and/or can each be injection molded as a single piece from a thermoplastic, such as from recycled materials. As shown, the corner protector  10  can be used on windows, doors ( FIG. 4 ) or other objects. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the corner protectors  10  located on the window  36  more clearly showing the plurality of flexible tabs  20 . The window  36  includes a glass pane  48  inside a window frame. When a force is applied to the corner protector  10 , the corner of the window  36  is accepted into the product receiving space  22  and the plurality of flexible tabs  20  flexibly engage the first window surface  38  and the second window surface  40 . When a window edge  42  is adjacent to the connecting portion  16 , an inner surface of the plurality of flexible tabs  20  engage a lip  44  of the window  36  to secure the corner protector  10  to the window  36 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the corner protectors  10  located on the window  36  in a vertically stacked orientation on a rack  56 . The plurality of protrusions  24  and the plurality of openings  26  in the second portion  14  of the corner protector  10  mate with a plurality of openings  26 ′ and a plurality of protrusions  24 ′ in a similar corner protector  10 ′ located on a window  36 ′ to form a stacked orientation. 
         [0029]    A corner protector  210  according to a second embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 8-12 . The corner protector  210  is generally the same as the corner protector  10  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-7  except as otherwise described below or shown in  FIGS. 8-12 . The corner protector  210  includes a generally planar, U-shaped first portion  212  and a generally planar, U-shaped second portion  214 . The first portion  212  and the second portion  214  are attached by means of a bottom connecting portion  216  and by opposing side connecting portions  216   a . The first portion  214 , the second portion  216 , the bottom connecting portion  216 , and the opposing side connecting portions  216   a  form a product receiving opening  222 . The product receiving opening  222  accepts at least two corner portions of the window  36  or the door  46 . 
         [0030]    A plurality of ribs  228  extend perpendicularly from the first portion  212 , the second portion  214 , and opposing side connecting portions  216   a . The plurality of ribs  228  have a tapered corner  230  and are orientated parallel to one another and perpendicular to an edge  218 . A plurality of spacer ribs  228   a  also protrude upwardly from the bottom connecting portion  216 . The orientation of the plurality of ribs  228  allows the product to enter the product receiving space  222  parallel to the opposing side connecting portions  216   a.    
         [0031]    A plurality of protrusions  224  and a plurality of openings  226  are located near the opposing side connecting portions  216   a  and in a middle region located between the opposing side connecting portions  216   a . At least one of the plurality of ribs  228  is located on each side of the plurality of protrusions  224  and the plurality of openings  226  towards the opposing side connecting portions  216   a.    
         [0032]    A plurality of holes  232  are located adjacent the first portion  212 , and the second portion  214  to aid in the manufacturability of a plurality of flexible tabs  220 . The plurality of flexible tabs  220  extend from an edge  218  and engage the window  36  as shown in  FIGS. 10-12  (or the door  46 , not shown) in a similar manner as described above for the plurality of flexible tabs  20 . A plurality of the windows  36  with the corner protectors  210  can then be stacked as shown in  FIG. 11 , with the protrusions  224  of each corner protector  210  received in the opening  226  of adjacent corner protector  210  to improve the stability of the stack. 
         [0033]    While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is not intended that this embodiment illustrates and describes all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.