Abstract:
A glass sheet, and a shipping case for the sheet are disclosed. The shipping case comprises two paperboard sheets with central portions which are substantially coextensive with and on opposite sides of the major surfaces of the sheet, and pairs of opposed, substantially coextensive flaps which surround the central portions. An adhesive prevents movement of the opposed flaps relative to one another and of the sheet within the case. In a preferred embodiment the flaps of one of the pairs are integral with one another and are disposed on opposite sides of a fold line. In another preferred embodiment, the shipping case additionally includes at least one flap which is structurally integral with one of the paperboard sheets along an edge thereof, and is folded around a peripheral edge of the article and adhered to the exterior surface of the central portion of the other sheet.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 60/219,742 filed Jul. 20, 2000 is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is an envelope package for protecting fragile sheets, especially glass sheets, in transit and in storage. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Glass sheets, especially curved automotive glass sheets, are presently shipped and stored in sleeves made of two corrugated sheets which are sewn together along two or three sides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,116 discloses a packaging device for glass articles. The package comprises front and rear panels which are sewn together adjacent to a bottom edge and two side edges to define an envelope structure. Surprisingly, much the same package is used today for curvilinear automotive glass sheets. 
     There are some practical problems with the sewn envelope package. The sewing of corrugated board and the like is a very slow process which is rather inefficient. The process becomes even more inefficient when needles break and the process is stopped for the replacement of needles. A sewn envelope structure has performance problems as well. When a needle perforates the front and back panels, it effectively scores those panels and weakens them, predisposing the envelope structure to failure at the perforations. As automotive glass has become more curved, the strain the glass imposes on the panels where they are sewn together has increased, thereby increasing the frequency of this type of failure. Such a failure exposes the most vulnerable part of a glass panel, which is an edge. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,166 discloses a package especially adapted for automotive windshields. This package is essentially constructed around a glass panel and has front and rear panels which are held together by staples and tape or metal straps. Accordingly, the package requires a great deal of labor to secure it to and around a glass panel. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,028,001 discloses a packaging device especially suited for curved glass panels such as windshields. The package comprises front and rear panels and tabs adjacent upper and lower edges of the front panel. There are slots above the tabs adjacent the upper edge and below the lower edge of the of the front panel. A glass panel is positioned on the front panel; the tabs are folded over the edges of the glass panel; and the rear panel is brought into contact with the glass panel; slots in the rear panel are then aligned with the slots above and below the tabs of the front panel. Next, tape is wrapped around the front and rear panels, passing through the aligned slots therein. The tape secures the tabs in their folded positions where they engage the glass panel. This package is also literally constructed around a glass panel. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,188 discloses a packaging device for automotive glass. The package comprises a cover panel and a supporting panel. Upper and lower flaps formed in the cover panel are folded to engage a sheet of glass and then banding straps or strips of tape are passed around the package to secure the flaps in position where they engage and retain the glass sheet in place. The ends of the package are folded inwardly to engage the side edges of the glass sheet and the entire package is stapled to secure the end portions adjacent to the side edges and to secure the cover panel to the supporting panel. Again, this package is literally constructed around a glass sheet. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,518 discloses an envelope within a box concept for packaging glass sheets, especially curved automotive glass. The sheet is received in an envelope comprised of a bottom protective liner and a top protective liner. The bottom liner has foldable flaps on four edges which are bent inwardly, preliminarily, to engage the edges of a glass sheet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, in one embodiment, is an article of sheet form and a shipping case for the article. The shipping case comprises a paperboard sheet which is folded upon itself along a fold line, and is so shaped that, in its folded condition, it has first and second polygonyl sheet members with opposed major surfaces and n edges. The central portions are substantially coextensive with the major surfaces of the article, while the n edges surround the central portions of the major surfaces. One of the edges is common to the first and second sheet members along the fold line. There are at least three pairs of opposed, substantially coextensive flaps, one of which extends outwardly beyond the central portions of the members to the fold line and each of the others of which extends outwardly beyond the central portions of the members to another edge. Each of the flaps is integral with the central portion of one of the members, which are positioned so that one is on each side of the article and the article is sandwiched between the central portions of the members. There is a body of an adhesive disposed between facing surfaces of the flaps of each of the pairs. Each of the bodies of adhesive is operable to prevent movement relative to one another of the flaps between whose facing surfaces it is disposed, and to prevent the article from sliding between the facing surfaces of the flaps between whose facing surfaces it is disposed. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the shipping case according to the invention additionally includes at least one flap which is structurally integral with one of the members along an edge thereof, and is folded around a peripheral edge of the article and adhered by a body of adhesive to the exterior surface of the central portion of the second of said members. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an article of sheet form and a shipping case for the article. 
     Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the disclosure herein of preferred embodiments, reference being made to the attached drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape, and to which glue has been applied, so that a lower portion of the sheet can be folded over the upper portion thereof and the glue can be hardened to produce a shipping case into which an appropriately sized sheet of glass or other material can be inserted. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the shipping case produced by folding the lower portion of the sheet of FIG. 1 over the upper portion thereof, and hardening the glue. 
     FIG. 3 is sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2, and showing the structure of the portion of the shipping case of FIG. 2 which is adjacent a fold line along which the upper and lower portions of the sheet are connected. 
     FIG. 4 is a view in section taken along the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2, and showing the structure of the portion of the shipping case of FIG. 2 which is adjacent a side edge thereof. 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of another paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape, and to which glue has been applied, so that a lower portion of the sheet can be folded over the upper portion thereof and the glue can be hardened to produce a shipping case into which an appropriately sized sheet of glass or other material can be inserted. 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the shipping case produced by folding the lower portion of the sheet of FIG. 5 over the upper portion thereof, and hardening the glue. 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line  7 — 7  of FIG. 6, and showing the structure of one portion of the shipping case of FIG. 6 which is adjacent a fold line along which the upper and lower portions of the sheet are connected. 
     FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along the line  8 — 8  of FIG. 6, and showing the structure of another part of the portion of the shipping case of FIG. 6 which is adjacent the fold line along which the upper and lower portions of the sheet are connected 
     FIG. 9 is a plan view of still another paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape, and to which glue has been applied, so that a lower portion of the sheet can be folded over the upper portion thereof and the glue can be hardened to produce a shipping case into which an appropriately sized sheet of glass or other material can be inserted. 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of the shipping case produced by folding the lower portion of the sheet of FIG. 9 over the upper portion thereof, and hardening the glue. 
     FIG. 11 is sectional view taken along the line  11 — 11  of FIG. 10, and showing the structure of one portion of the shipping case of FIG. 10 which is adjacent a fold line along which the upper and lower portions of the sheet are connected. 
     FIG. 12 is a view in section taken along the line  12 — 12  of FIG. 10, and showing the structure of another part of the portion of the shipping case of FIG. 10 which is adjacent the fold line along which the upper and lower portions of the sheet are connected. 
     FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 12, but showing a portion of a shipping case that is disclosed in the prior art. 
     FIG. 14 is a view in vertical section showing the prior art shipping case of FIG. 13 after a typical failure has occurred. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, and, in particular, to FIG. 1, a paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape for use in producing a shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  20 . The sheet  20  has an upper portion  21  and a lower portion  22 . As indicated at  23  and  24 , bodies of glue have been applied to the upper portion  21  of the sheet  20  adjacent a side edge  25 ; bodies  26  and  27  of glue have been applied to the upper portion  21  of the sheet  20  adjacent a side edge  28 ; and a body  29  of glue has been applied to the upper portion  21  of the sheet  20  adjacent a bottom which, ultimately, is a fold line  30  (FIGS. 2 and 4) extending generally between steps  31  on opposed sides of the sheet  20  between the upper portion  21  and the lower portion  22 . There are indentations  32  in the top edge of the upper portion  21  and in the bottom edge of the lower portion  22 . 
     A shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  33  in FIG.  2 . The shipping case  33  is produced from the paperboard sheet  20  of FIG. 1 by folding the lower portion  22  thereof along a line between the steps  31  onto the upper portion  21  so that a part of the lower portion adjacent a side edge  34  is in contact with the mass  24  of glue and a part adjacent a side edge  35  is in contact with the mass  27  of glue, folding parts of the upper portion  21  of the sheet  20  adjacent the side edges  25  and  28  over the side edges  34  and  35  of the lower sheet portion  22 , and hardening the bodies  23 ,  24 ,  26 ,  27  and  29  of glue, which can be any glue known or hereafter developed. The parts adjacent the side edges  25  and  28  of the of the upper portion  21  of the sheet  20  which are folded over the side edges  34  and  35  of the lower sheet portion  22  are designated  36  and  37 , respectively, in FIG.  2 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape for use in producing another embodiment of a shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  38 . The sheet  38  has an upper portion  39  and a lower portion  40 . As indicated at  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46 ,  47  and  48 , bodies of glue have been applied to the upper portion  39  of the sheet  38  adjacent a side edge  49 ; bodies of glue  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54 ,  55 ,  56  and  57  have been applied to the upper portion  39  of the sheet  38  adjacent a side edge  58 , and bodies of glue  59 ,  60 ,  61  and  62  have been applied to the upper portion  39  of the sheet  38  adjacent a bottom thereof which, ultimately, is a fold line  63  (FIGS. 6 and 8) extending generally between steps  64  on opposed sides of the sheet  38  between the upper portion  39  and the lower portion  40 . There are also three sided cut outs in the bottom of the upper portion  39  which extend downwardly into the lower portion  40 , leaving rectangular tabs  65 ,  66 , and  67  on the lower portions of which there are bodies  68 ,  69  and  70  of glue. There are indentations  71  in the top edge of the upper portion  39  and in the bottom edge of the lower portion  40 . 
     Another shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  72  in FIG.  6 . The shipping case  72  is produced from the paperboard sheet  38  of FIG. 5 by folding the lower portion  40  thereof along a line between the steps  64  onto the upper portion  39  so that a part of the lower portion adjacent a side edge  73  is in contact with the masses  42 ,  45  and  48  of glue and a part adjacent a side edge  74  is in contact with the masses  50 ,  53  and  56  of glue, folding parts of the upper portion  39  of the sheet  38  to which the masses  41 ,  44  and  47  of glue were applied over the side edge  73 , folding parts of the upper portion  39  of the sheet  38  to which the masses  51 ,  54  and  57  of glue were applied over the side edge  74 , folding the rectangular tabs  65 ,  66 , and  67  over the lower portion  40  of the sheet  38 , and hardening the several bodies of glue. The parts of the upper portion  39  which were folded over the edge  73  of the lower portion  40  of the sheet  38  are designated  75  in FIG. 6, while the parts of the upper portion  39  which were folded over the edge  74  are designated  76 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, a paperboard sheet which has a suitable shape for use in producing still another embodiment of a shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  77 . The sheet  77  has an upper portion  78  and a lower portion  79 . As indicated at  80 ,  81 ,  82 ,  83 ,  84 ,  85 ,  86  and  87  bodies of glue have been applied to the upper portion  78  of the sheet  77  adjacent a side edge  88 ; bodies  89 ,  90 ,  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94 ,  95  and  96  of glue have been applied to the upper portion  78  of the sheet  77  adjacent a side edge  97 , and bodies  98 ,  99 ,  100 ,  101 ,  102 ,  103  and  104  have been applied to the upper portion  78  of the sheet  77  adjacent a bottom thereof which, ultimately, is a fold line  105  (FIG. 12) between the upper portion  78  (FIG. 9) and the lower portion  79 . There are also three sided cut outs in the top of the lower portion  79  which leave rectangular tabs  106 ,  107  and  108  on the lower portions of which there are bodies  109 ,  110  and  111  of glue. There are indentations  112  in the top edge of the upper portion  78  and in the bottom edge of the lower portion  79 . 
     The lower portion  79  of the paperboard sheet  77  has side edges  113  and  114 , and re-entrant portions  115  and  116 , while the upper portion  78  thereof has re-entrant portions  117  and  118  which extend inwardly from the side edges  88  and  97 , respectively, toward the upper extremities of the re-entrant portions  115  and  116 , and are so shaped that there are tabs  119  and  120  which are integral therewith. There are bodies  121  and  122  of glue on the tabs  119  and  120 , and bodies of glue  123  and  124  spaced toward the center of the upper portion  78  of the paperboard sheet  77  from the bodies  121  and  122 , respectively, of glue. 
     Still another shipping case according to the invention is indicated generally at  125  in FIG.  10 . The shipping case  125  is produced from the paperboard sheet  77  of FIG. 9 by folding the lower portion  79  thereof along a line between the inner extremities of the re-entrant portions  115  and  116  so that a part of the lower portion adjacent the side edge  113  is in contact with the masses  81 ,  82 ,  84 ,  85  and  87  of glue and a part adjacent the side edge  114  is in contact with the masses  90 ,  91 ,  93 ,  94  and  95  of glue, while a part adjacent the top is in contact with masses  99 ,  100 ,  101 ,  102  and  103  of glue, folding parts of the upper portion  78  of the sheet  77  to which the masses  80 ,  83  and  86  of glue were applied over the side edge  113 , folding parts of the upper portion  78  of the sheet  77  to which the masses  89 ,  92  and  96  of glue were applied over the side edge  114 , folding the rectangular tabs  106 ,  107 , and  108  over the lower portion  79  of the sheet  77 , folding the tabs  119  and  120  over the re-entrant portions  115  and  116 , and hardening the several bodies of glue. The parts of the upper portion  78  which were folded over the edge  113  of the lower portion  79  of the sheet  77  are designated  126  in FIG. 10, while the parts of the upper portion which were folded over the edge  114  are designated  127 . 
     As has been indicated above, much the same sewn package that is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,116 is currently in use for curvilinear automotive glass sheets. A glass sheet indicated generally at  128  in such a sewn package is shown in FIG.  13 . The package is composed of paperboard sheets  129  and  130  which are sewn together as indicated at  131  along two sides and a bottom, forming an envelope-like package having an opening along the top edge for receiving the glass article and urging the paperboard sheets toward each other (column 2, lines 19-25 of the patent). However, as noted above, when a needle perforates the front and back panels, it effectively scores and weakens those panels, predisposing them to failure along the perforations. When a break occurs, as shown in FIG. 14, the panels are no longer urged toward each other, and the edge of the glass sheet, which is the most vulnerable part, is exposed. 
     It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications are possible from the specific details of the invention shown in the attached drawings and described with reference thereto without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the attached claims.