Device with reusable supports for packing flat articles and corresponding method

A device for forming a free-standing package with an open, light structure capable of packing a bundle of individual flat articles, each flat article having a height, width, and thickness, which thickness is a smaller dimension than the width and thickness, the bundle being formed from several of these flat articles placed in direct juxtaposition and aligned, along a straight longitudinal axis, in the direction of the thickness of the flat articles, the bundle having a height, width, and length, the length of the bundle being in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the device including:

• a pair of individual rigid lateral supports, which are opposite each other and which will rest directly on the respective sides of the bundle, each lateral support comprising a main side wall positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis in the package, the main side wall comprising an outer face and an inner face, the inner face resting directly on a corresponding lateral ridge of each of the flat articles in the bundle in order to immobilize them in use in a cavity formed between the two opposite inner faces of the two lateral supports, the height and length of the cavity being at least equal to the height and length of the bundle, each lateral support also having an inner part to vertically support each of the flat articles to be placed in the cavity;
• and means incorporated in the free-standing package for holding the lateral supports in the packaging position against the bundle;
• each lateral support comprising at least an inner rim which extends along a bottom ridge of the main side wall and which borders the inner face of the main side wall, the rim constituting the inner part which will vertically support each of the flat articles, each rim forming an integral part of a monolithic piece which comprises the corresponding main side wall;
• and
• the opposite inner faces of the lateral supports of each pair are imbricately mating with one another when not in use to reduce stacking space.