Patent ID: 8413836

Claim:
A reinforced packaging system for an article, the packaging system comprising: a four sided carton disposed around the article and having a pair of opposing panels, each panel having an aperture extending there through; a cross brace having opposing ends, the cross brace extending the between the opposing panels; and a pair of plugs each plug having a U-shaped body and a flange, the U-shaped body having opposing ends, a bottom wall having two side edges and a side wall extending vertically upwardly from each bottom side edge, the side walls defining an open top side, the flange extending laterally from the proximal end of the plug body, each plug being inserted into one of the two apertures so that the plug body extends into the carton and the flange abuts an exterior surface of a carton panel; wherein each opposing end of the cross brace rests on one of the plug bottom walls; and wherein each plug further comprises projections extending inwardly from each sidewall to facilitate a friction fit between the cross brace and the plug body.