Abstract:
A low cost and durable package for use in shipping thin, fragile planar members, such as protective tempered glass screen protectors for electronic devices. The package may include a rectangular box having a sidewall that defines an interior portion. A support insert having two outer sidewall members and a middle wall portion is configured and adapted to fit within the interior portion of the box. The middle portion may include cutouts for restraining a glass screen protector for an electronic device. A flap configurable between an open position and a closed position may provide further protection.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/869,583, filed Aug. 23, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, including but not limited to those portions that specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference being made with the following exception: In the event that any portion of the above-referenced provisional application is inconsistent with this application, this application supercedes said above-referenced provisional application. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    1. The Field of the Present Disclosure 
         [0004]    The present disclosure relates generally to packaging, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to packaging for shipping thin, fragile planar members, such as glass, used on electronic devices. 
         [0005]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0006]    The rise of e-commerce websites has led to a dramatic increase of good being shipped by common carrier to consumers. One popular product commonly bought on e-commerce websites is screen protectors for electronic devices. In the past, screen protectors comprised a thin, flexible sheet of plastic. More recently, the use of thin, fragile planar members, such as tempered glass, as screen protectors for electronic devices has become more popular. 
         [0007]    Durable and low-cost packaging for shipping glass screen protectors, however, has proven challenging. In particular, tempered glass, while somewhat less prone to breaking than regular glass, may still break or shatter if not handled properly. Thus, it would be an advantage over the prior art to provide a low-cost, durable, and easy-to-manufacture package design for shipping tempered glass. 
         [0008]    The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a support insert in an unfolded configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the support insert shown in  FIG. 1  in an unfolded configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the support insert shown in  FIG. 1  in a folded configuration with its protective front flap in an open configuration and a thin, fragile planar member mounted thereon according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a support insert shown in  FIG. 1  in a folded configuration with its protective front flap in a partially open configuration and a thin, fragile planar member mounted thereon according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a support insert in a folded configuration with its protective front flap in a closed configuration according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the support insert shown in  FIG. 1  partially installed into an interior of a box according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a top view showing the interior of the box showing a top profile of the support insert. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure claimed. 
         [0018]    In describing and claiming the present disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below. It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. 
         [0019]    Applicants have invented a low cost and durable package for shipping thin, fragile planar members, such as members formed of glass. The applicants&#39; invention is particularly suited for packaging glass screen protectors for electronic devices, such as smart phones. In an embodiment, the applicants&#39; invention comprises a support insert and a box. The support insert may be operable between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. In the unfolded configuration, the support insert may be substantially flat. In this regard, the support insert may be formed of paper stock having a thickness less than a millimeter. In the folded configuration, the support insert may define a mounting surface for an object, such as a thin, fragile planar member, and a protective flap having a living hinge interposed between them. The protective flap may be operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration with respect to the mounting surface. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a front and back view, respectively, of a support insert  100  is shown. The support insert  100  may comprise a substantially planar member  102 . In an embodiment, the member  102  is formed of a paper or card stock having a thickness less than 1 millimeter. In an embodiment, the thickness of the member  102  may be about 1 millimeter or greater. 
         [0021]    The member  102  may comprise a flap portion  104  and a back portion  106 . In an embodiment, a length, L1, of the flap portion  104  is less than a length, L2, of the back portion  106 . 
         [0022]    Interposed between the flap portion  104  and the back portion  106  may be a first portion  110  and a second portion  112 . In particular, the first portion  110  is adjacent the flap portion  104  and the second portion  112  is adjacent the back portion  106 . Interposed between the flap portion  104  and the first portion  110  is a fold  114  as indicated by the dashed line. Interposed between the first portion  110  and the second portion  112  is a fold  116  as indicated by the dashed line. Interposed between the second portion  112  and the back portion  106  is a fold  118  as indicated by the dashed line. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the first portion  110  includes a surface A 1  and the second portion  112  includes a surface A 2 . 
         [0023]    Disposed along an outside edge of the back portion  106  is a third portion  120  and a fourth portion  122 . Interposed between the back portion  106  and the third portion  120  is a fold  124  as indicated by the dashed line. Interposed between the third portion  120  and the fourth portion is a fold  126  as indicated by the dashed line. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the third portion  120  includes a surface B 1  and the fourth portion  122  includes a surface B 2 . 
         [0024]    It will be appreciated that the folds  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  124 , and  126  may include perforations that form fold lines. In an embodiment, the folds  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  124 , and  126  may be formed by hand or by a machine. In addition, the back portion  106  may include tabs  130 . The tabs  130  may be formed by slits formed in the back portion  106 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the first portion  110  and the second portion  112  may be folded together along fold  116  such that the surfaces A 1  and A 2  matingly engage to form a double folded portion. In an embodiment, an adhesive is utilized to join the surfaces A 1  and A 2  together. In an embodiment, a mechanical fastener, such as a staple, may be utilized. In an embodiment, the surfaces A 1  and A 2  are not joined together but are held in place due to the stiffness of the member  102 . The third portion  120  and the fourth portion  122  may be folded together along fold  126  such that the surfaces B 1  and B 2  matingly engage. In an embodiment, an adhesive is utilized to join the surfaces B 1  and B 2  together. In an embodiment, a mechanical fastener, such as a staple, may be utilized. In an embodiment, the surfaces B 1  and B 2  are not joined together and are held in place by the stiffness. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 , with the surfaces A 1  and A 2  joined, the fold  114  forms a living hinge that allows the flap portion  104  to operate between an open position ( FIG. 3 ), an intermediate position ( FIG. 4 ) and a closed position ( FIG. 5 ). An object, such as a thin, fragile planar member  150  may be installed onto a top surface  152  of the back portion  106 . Two of the tabs  130  may be utilized to hold the planar member  150  in place. As observed in  FIG. 5 , with the planar member  150  in place, the flap portion  104  may be closed and secured in place by another one of the tabs  130 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , with the planar member  150  in place and the flap portion  104  in the closed position over the planar member  150 , the insert  100  may be slidably inserted into an interior portion  202  of a box  200 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , a horizontal cross section of the interior portion  202  of the box  200  may be rectangular shaped. In an embodiment, the interior portion  202  comprises a pair of opposing sidewalls  204  and  206 . The interior portion  202  further comprises a pair of opposing sidewalls  208  and  210 . In an embodiment, sidewalls  204  and  206  are longer than the sidewalls  208  and  210 . 
         [0028]    As perhaps best seen in  FIG. 7 , when installed into the interior  202  of the box  200 , the insert  100  may have a Z-shaped horizontal cross section. In particular, the first portion  110  and the second portion  112 , which together may form a double folded sidewall or leg, may extend parallel and adjacent to the sidewall  208 . The third portion  120  and the fourth portion  122 , which together may form a double folded sidewall or leg, may extend parallel and adjacent to the sidewall  210 . The double folded portion created by the first portion  110  and the second portion  112  may be substantially parallel to the double folded portion created by third portion  120  and the fourth portion  122 . 
         [0029]    As can be further observed, the back portion  206  and the flap portion  204 , which together may define a middle wall portion, may extend diagonally between an interior corner  212  formed at the intersection of the sidewalls  204  and  208  and an interior corner  214  formed at the intersection of the sidewalls  206  and  210 . 
         [0030]    The insert  100  may also include a hang tag  216  for use in retail displays. In an embodiment, the hang tag  216  may be integrally formed with the insert or not. In an embodiment, the hang tag  216  may extend through a slot in the box  200 . 
         [0031]    It will be appreciated that the configuration of the insert  100  within the box  200  prevents damage to the planar member  150 . In particular, the insert  100  suspends the planar member  150  between, but away from, the walls of the box  200 . 
         [0032]    In an embodiment, the middle wall portion formed by the back portion  206  and the flap portion  204  may intersect the sidewall formed by the first portion  110  and the second portion  112  at an angle between 35 degrees and 60 degrees. In an embodiment, the middle wall portion formed by the back portion  206  and the flap portion  204  may intersect the sidewall formed by the third portion  120  and the fourth portion  122  at an angle of intersection, θ, between 35 degrees and 60 degrees. In an embodiment, the angles of intersection, θ, are about 45 degrees. In an embodiment, the angles of intersection, θ, are greater than 90 degrees. In an embodiment, the angles of intersection, θ, are between 90 degrees and 120 degrees. In an embodiment, the angles of intersection, θ, are between 95 degrees and 105 degrees. In an embodiment, the angles of intersection, θ, is about 100 degrees. 
         [0033]    In an embodiment, the support insert  100  is die cut into the shape shown in  FIG. 1 . In an embodiment, the support insert  100  and box  200  and the planar member  150  may form a kit for packaging a thin, fragile planar member. In an embodiment, the planar member  150  comprises a thin piece of pre-cut tempered glass that may be applied to a screen of an electronic device, such as a smart phone. 
         [0034]    It will be appreciated that the structure and apparatus disclosed herein is merely one example of a means for packaging a thin, fragile planar member, and it should be appreciated that any structure, apparatus or system for a thin, rigid planar member which performs functions the same as, or equivalent to, those disclosed herein are intended to fall within the scope of a means for a thin, rigid planar member, including those structures, apparatus or systems for a thin, rigid planar member which are presently known, or which may become available in the future. Anything which functions the same as, or equivalently to, a means for a thin, rigid planar member falls within the scope of this element. 
         [0035]    Those having ordinary skill in the relevant art will appreciate the advantages provide by the features of the present disclosure. For example, it is a feature of the present disclosure to provide a package for use with thin, fragile planar members, such as glass screen protectors for use on electronic devices. Another feature of the present disclosure is to provide a kit for protecting a display of an electronic device. It is a further feature of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect thereof, to provide a shipping package for screen protectors for electronic devices. 
         [0036]    It will be further appreciated that the support insert may be utilized in packaging for various objects, including thin, fragile planar members. The support insert may be utilized with non-planar members. 
         [0037]    In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features of the present disclosure are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Disclosure by this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0038]    It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.