Abstract:
A computer component packaging assembly can have an essentially two-dimensional flat configuration for storage and a three-dimensional component holding configuration for holding parts such as ac adapters, batteries, and documentation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/______, filed Feb. 11, 2004. 
     
    
     I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to shipping containers for computer systems.  
       II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A computer production area is normally filled with palates of products and shipping cartons for those products. A computer can be shipped to a consumer with many accessories. For example, some computer peripherals include a mouse, a battery charger, a power cord, and a keyboard. These peripherals are not connected to the computer but are still shipped with the computer and generally require separate packaging.  
         [0004]     As understood herein, a computer production area can require a great deal of space for manufacturing, testing, and shipping the computer. Also, space is required for loading software onto computers prior to shipment to a consumer. Unfortunately, valuable space is consumed by the shipping materials, which can decrease production throughput. Moreover, once the consumer receives the computer, the computer packaging consumes storage space at the consumer&#39;s residence, usually resulting in the consumer discarding the packaging despite the fact that it may be required later for storage or reshipment.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     With the above shortcomings in mind, the present invention can provide at least one piece of corrugated cardboard configured in such a way that it is shipped and stored flat. When it is time to package a computer with accessories, the at least one piece of corrugated cardboard can be formed into a three dimensional shape with inventive features of including, at least in one embodiment, the ability to accommodate multiple accessories, peripherals, and components into a vertically thin form factor. The vertically thin form factor allows for top loading of the computer peripherals into the container for quick packaging assembly.  
         [0006]     In another embodiment, the present packaging may not revert to a flat shape when a user removes computer equipment packaging (cushioning) material, but the packaging will revert to a flat shape once the consumer removes the peripherals themselves. The packaging may also include a handle that makes removal and transport easy.  
         [0007]     In one non-limiting aspect, a computer peripheral packaging assembly for holding portions of a computer system includes a flat bottom panel and at least one accessory support movable between a storage configuration, wherein the accessory support is substantially flat against the bottom panel, and a component holding configuration, wherein the accessory support defines at least in part a parallelepiped shaped enclosure. Also, a documentation support is movable between a storage configuration, wherein the documentation support is substantially flat against the bottom panel, and a component holding configuration, wherein the documentation support defines at least in part a parallelepiped shaped enclosure that is wider and shorter than the enclosure defined by the accessory support in the component holding configuration.  
         [0008]     In another non-limiting aspect, a computer peripheral packaging assembly for holding portions of a computer system can include a bottom panel and at least two supports that share a common wall in a component holding configuration.  
         [0009]     In yet another non-limiting aspect, a computer peripheral packaging assembly for holding portions of a computer system can include a bottom panel and at least two supports, with at least half of the area of each support overlapping the area of the bottom panel in a storage configuration.  
         [0010]     In preferred non-limiting embodiments, two identical accessory supports can be provided with the documentation support being intermediate the accessory supports. The accessory support and documentation support may cooperate with the bottom panel to define the respective enclosures. An ac adapter and/or a computer battery can be inside the accessory support, while the documentation support may be configured for supporting at least one paper document.  
         [0011]     If desired, the accessory support can be formed with a top wall that is spaced from the bottom panel in the component holding configuration, with at least one hole being formed through the top wall. Also, the accessory support may include opposed side walls hingedly engaged with the bottom panel. Slits can be formed in the accessory support between the top wall and the side walls. The accessory support can be formed with a semicircular notch at an end of the top wall. On the other hand, the documentation support can include a top wall spaced from the bottom panel in the component holding configuration and attached thereto by front and rear walls hingedly engaged with the bottom panel. The top wall of the documentation support may be formed with a tab extending outwardly from an edge of the top wall, and the rear wall may extend laterally beyond the enclosure defined by the documentation support to establish a rear wall of the accessory support.  
         [0012]     The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the computer component packaging assembly in the component holding configuration, showing components to be packaged in an exploded relationship with the packaging; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the computer component packaging assembly in the storage configuration. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a packaging assembly is shown, generally designated  10 , for holding, in a box  12  that can contain a computer  14 , various components of a computer system, including a computer battery  16 , an ac adapter  18 , an electrical connector cord  20 , and various paper documentation  22  in accordance with further discussion below. In accordance with present principles, the packaging assembly  10  may be made of a single piece of cardboard that can be made to assume a storage configuration ( FIG. 2 ), wherein the various below-described supports of the packaging assembly  10  are substantially flat against a bottom panel  24  of the assembly  10 , and a component holding configuration, wherein the supports define three dimensional enclosures.  
         [0016]     For illustration purposes terms of orientation (such as “front”, “bottom”, etc.) will be used in the discussion below, it being understood that the terms of orientation are relative only and non-limiting. For instance, the “front” of the packaging assembly  10  may actually be placed against what might be termed a “rear” wall of the box  12 , etc.  
         [0017]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show that the assembly  10  includes a documentation support  26  and preferably two accessory supports  28 ,  30  that flank the documentation support  26 . All three supports  26 - 30  are movable between the storage configuration shown in  FIG. 2 , wherein the supports  26 - 30  are substantially flat against the bottom panel  24 , and the component holding configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein the supports  26 - 30  define respective parallelepiped shaped enclosures  32 ,  34 ,  36 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the enclosure  32  defined by the documentation support  26  is wider and shorter than the enclosures  34 ,  36  defined by the accessory supports  28 ,  30 . The enclosures  32 - 36  are bounded on their bottoms by the bottom panel  24 .  
         [0018]     When in the storage configuration shown in  FIG. 2 , over half of the areas of the accessory supports  28 ,  30  overlap the area of the bottom panel  24 , thereby reducing the “footprint” of the packaging assembly  10 . Also, in the storage configuration the documentation support  26  is flat against the bottom panel  24  and a back wall panel  38  that is integral to an coplanar with the bottom panel  24 , further reducing the footprint of the assembly  10 . A score line  40  extends between the back wall panel  38  and bottom panel  24  so that the back wall panel  38  can be folded about the score line  40  to assume a perpendicular orientation with respect to the bottom panel  24  in the component holding configuration. Also, the back wall panel  38  extends laterally beyond the accessory supports  28 ,  30  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  so that it can form a common continuous back wall for all three supports  26 ,  28 ,  30  in the component holding configuration.  
         [0019]     In cross-reference to the figures, the bottom left edge  42  of the left-most accessory support  28  is integral to the bottom panel  24 , while the top left edge  44  of the left-most accessory support  28  is directly above the bottom left edge  42  in the component holding configuration ( FIG. 1 ) and directly laterally left of the bottom left edge  42  in the storage configuration ( FIG. 2 ). An inner holding tab  46  of the left-most accessory support  28  is glued to the bottom panel  24 . The right-most accessory support  30  is similarly configured. With this structure, the accessory supports  28 ,  30  can be moved from the flat storage configuration to the parallelepiped-shaped component holding configuration by pushing the outer edges of the supports  28 ,  30  toward the middle of the assembly  10 . This is because the bottom edges and holding tabs of the supports  28 ,  30  are affixed to the bottom panel  24 , whereas the top surfaces  48 ,  50  of the accessory supports  28 ,  30  are connected to the bottom panel by side walls  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  of the accessory supports  28 ,  30 , and score lines that may include slits  60  extend between the top surfaces  48 ,  50  and respective side walls  52 - 58  of the accessory supports  28 ,  30  to facilitate hinged motion between the top surfaces and side walls when moving between the configurations shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . It will be appreciated that the side walls  52 - 58  are also hinged to the bottom panel  24 . If desired, each accessory support  28 ,  30  may include a respective circular cut-out  62 ,  64  in its top surface  48 ,  50 , as well as semicircular notches  66  in both the top and bottom front edges  68 ,  70  of the supports  28 ,  30 .  
         [0020]     With respect to the documentation support  26 , its top rear edge  72  is integral with and hinged to the rear wall panel  38 . Also, a front holding tab  74  of the documentation support  26  extends parallel to the back wall panel  38  and is glued to the bottom panel  24 . A score line  75  can extend across the support  26  parallel to and spaced rearwardly of the front holding tab  74  to define what will become a front wall  76  therebetween. It will be appreciated in cross-reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  that the documentation support  26  can be moved from the flat configuration to the component holding configuration by pushing the rear edge  72  forward, causing the rear edge  72  to hinge about the back wall panel  38  and the back wall panel  38  to hinge about the score line  40 . Also, hinged motion occurs between the front wall  76  and score line  75  and between the front wall  76  and front holding tab  74  such that the front wall  76  assumes the vertical orientation shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]     In the component holding configuration, the sides of the enclosure  32  defined by the documentation support  26  are open, the rear is enclosed by the rear wall panel  38 , and the front is enclosed by the front wall  76  except for an opening that is created when a tab  78  that is formed in the front wall  76  is pushed up to be coplanar with the top wall of the documentation support  26 . It may now be appreciated that the documentation  22  may be slid under the tab  78  and retained on its sides by the accessory supports  28 ,  30 , such that the documentation support is configured for supporting paper documents. Also, in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1  the rear wall panel  38  extends across the backs of the accessory supports  28 ,  30  to enclose the rear of the respective enclosures  36 ,  38 , with the fronts of the enclosures  36 ,  38  remaining open as shown. A racetrack-shaped cut-out  80  can be formed in the bottom panel  24  to establish a handle, if desired.  
         [0022]     With the above structure in mind, one or more accessories (e.g., the ac adapter  18  and cord  20 ) can be disposed in the enclosure  36  of the right-most accessory support  30 , and one or more other components (e.g., the battery  16 ) can be disposed in the enclosure  34  of the left-most accessory support  28 . Also, the documentation  22  can be held in the assembly  10  as described. The assembly  10  with components and documentation may then be placed in the box  12  next to, e.g., the computer  14  for shipment. Upon receipt by a customer, the components can be removed from the packaging assembly  10  and the assembly  10  folded back down to the storage configuration of  FIG. 2  for space-saving storage if desired.  
         [0023]     While the particular COMPUTER PERIPHERAL PACKAGING ASSEMBLY FOR COMPUTER SYSTEM as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. It is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. Absent express definitions herein, claim terms are to be given all ordinary and accustomed meanings that are not irreconcilable with the present specification and file history.