Abstract:
A furniture protector comprising a sheet provided with a first attachment means at one end of the sheet and a second attachment means, complementary to the first attachment means, at a second point on the sheet; the first and second attachment means configured to removeably attach such that the sheet can be fastened and unfastened around a piece of furniture.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    This invention relates to packaging. The packaging may be used to protect large objects, such as furniture, during transportation. 
         [0004]    Furniture often needs to be transported from one place to another; for example, from a warehouse to a customer. During transportation it is advantageous to protect it from any damage which may occur during transportation. 
         [0005]    Traditionally, furniture is protected by wrapping it in polythene sheets secured using adhesive, such as adhesive tape. If desired, parts of the furniture particularly susceptible to damage, such as the ends of legs, are protected by placing a cardboard layer between the furniture and the polythene sheet in order to reduce the likelihood of damage to those parts. 
         [0006]    There are several disadvantages associated with this traditional method of packaging. 
         [0007]    The use of multiple packaging parts can be inconvenient as it requires the placement of two parts that can move relative to each other. Further, the packaging often becomes ripped during transportation of the furniture exposing the furniture to potential damage. Finally, the packaging cannot be removed because the method of fastening it is permanent and to remove the packaging the polythene sheets are often ripped. 
         [0008]    In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a furniture protector comprising a sheet provided with a first attachment means at one end of the sheet and a second attachment means, complementary to the first attachment means, at a second point on the sheet; the first and second attachment means configured to removeably attach such that the sheet can be fastened and unfastened around a piece of furniture. 
         [0009]    Preferably, first and second attachment means comprises complementary hook and loop fasteners in order that the sheet can be releasably fastened around furniture. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the sheet comprises an outer layer and a protective layer. The outer layer and protective layer may be attached using adhesive or stitching. The protective layer may be a polyethylene sheet. The protective layer may be made from foam or bubble wrap. 
         [0011]    Optionally, the sheet may include a further layer attached to the protective layer and arranged to be situated next to the furniture when the packaging is in use. The further layer is attached using adhesive or stitching and may be made from a non-marking material to prevent marks from being made on the furniture. The further layer could be made from felt. 
         [0012]    The sheet may be provided with a section of padding. The padding may be attached either permanently or removeably to the further layer or protective layer. 
         [0013]    The padding may be provided with attachment means allowing it to be attached directly to the further layer. 
         [0014]    Additionally the further layer or protective layer may be provided with attachment means complementary to the attachment means on the padding such that the extra padding can be secured to the further layer. 
         [0015]    Alternatively, the padding may be provided between the padding layer and the further layer. 
         [0016]    The padding may be foam. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a view of packaging in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a view of packaging in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-section through the packaging; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates the packaging in use; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate packaging including fastening means; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  illustrates packaging including additional external padding. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The packaging  10  is a sheet  12  of material as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0025]    The sheet of material  12  has a tri-laminate structure as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As can be seen the sheet has an outer layer  18 , a protective layer  20  and a contact layer  22 . 
         [0026]    The outer layer  18  is preferably waterproof and resistant to tearing. The outer layer  18  may be made from polypropylene, a low density and high density polyethylene mix or any other suitable durable material. The protective layer  20  provides cushioning that reduces the impact of any forces that are imposed on the packaging on the furniture. The protective layer  20  may be made, for example, from foam or plastic sheeting including a plurality of air pockets (bubble wrap) or any other suitable material. The contact layer  22  is preferably made from a material which further aids the protection of the furniture. For example, the contact layer  22  may be made from a non-marking material. The contact layer  22  may be made, for example, from non-woven polypropylene tissue, from felt or any other suitable material. 
         [0027]    The layers  18 ,  20 ,  22  are fastened together by lamination across the entire area of the layers using heat and compression. Preferably all the layers are flexible enabling the sheet to easily accommodate different shapes of furniture. 
         [0028]    To use the packaging a piece of furniture is placed on the packaging in a position that allows the furniture to be encompassed by the packaging. The packaging is then folded around the furniture as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . If desired, the sheet may be secured around the furniture, for example using string cord or rope extending around the piece of furniture. In this manner the sheet is releasably fastened about furniture and can be removed without damage to the sheet. This enables the sheet to be used multiple times. 
         [0029]    Optionally, the sheet may have a bi-laminate structure rather than a tri-laminate structure. In this configuration the sheet is provided with an outer protective layer and a second layer performing the function of the protective layer and contact layer. The second layer provides the function of protecting the furniture from marks or scratches. 
         [0030]    Rather than fastening the layers  18 ,  20 ,  22  together by lamination, other methods may be used. For example only the edges of the layers may be heat sealed together, the edges may alternatively be sewn together. Optionally the layers may be joined together using adhesive either throughout the whole area of the layers or around the edges of layers. If desired, the edges of the layers could be covered, for example using fabric, to prevent them from separating under the influence of external forces. 
         [0031]    The sheet of material  12  may be provided with means for fastening the sheet around a piece of furniture as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The means for fastening the sheet may be one section of a hook and loop fastener  14  on one side of the sheet  12  and a complementary section  16  of the hook and loop fastener on the other side of the sheet. The sections of hook and loop fasteners may be arranged so that the sheet  12  can be fastened around a piece of furniture (not shown). 
         [0032]    The means for fastening the sheet about a piece of furniture need not necessarily be a single long strip of hook and loop fastener but may comprise multiple complementary pieces of hook and loop fastener of any suitable shape and size. Additionally, the fastening means may not be a hook and loop fastener but may be, for example, a piece of double sided tape affixed to one side of the sheet that can be removeably attached to the other side, hooks and eyes or any other suitable method of fixing the pieces together 
         [0033]    If desired one of the fastening members may be provided on an additional flap attached to the sheet. Preferably the flap is pivotable relative to the end of the sheet to which it is attached. The flap may be attached, for example, by having one of the layers, such as the third layer of the flap, integral with the same layer of the sheet or by any other suitable means. The flap may have either a bi-laminate or a tri-laminate structure. 
         [0034]    Optionally one of the layers, for example the protective layer, may be rigid. In this embodiment the sheet may be provided with hinge-like parts that allow parts of the sheet to move relative to each other in order that furniture may be encompassed by the sheet. The hinge-like parts may be, for example, score lines or breaks in the rigid layer. 
         [0035]    A further option is that the outer layer may be configured to enable text or drawings to be displayed on the outer layer. 
         [0036]    Additional external areas of padding  24 , for example positioned where the ends of legs of furniture will be placed, may be provided as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The padding provides extra protection to areas of the furniture, such as the ends of the legs, which may be exposed to more force than other areas. The additional padding  24  may be made, for example, from the material of the second layer covered by the material of the third layer and attached to the sheet  12 . Any other suitable configuration of material may be used; for example, only the third layer material may be used. 
         [0037]    The external additional padding is attached to the third layer. The padding may be permanently attached, for example, using an adhesive. Alternatively, the padding may be provided with fastening means arranged to removeably attach the contact padding directly to the inner layer, such as the hook part of a hook and loop fastener. If desired, the contact layer may be provided with complementary fastening means to facilitate the removeable attachment of the additional padding to the contact layer. 
         [0038]    The additional padding may also be provided internally to the sheet by attaching additional padding, for example to the protective layer underneath the contact layer. The additional padding may be attached using the methods described with reference to external padding, or may be integral with the protective layer. 
         [0039]    As will be understood by one skilled in the art, the sheet may be a single sheet or may comprise two or more sheets joined together as shown in the figures.