Packaging for fragile articles

A packaging structure for a shock sensitive article, comprising:

• at least one packaging structure unit disposed in tight, nesting relationship to another such packaging structure, each such structure unit including:
• a platform portion having sufficient rigidity to support the article and having a peripheral portion;
• and
• a sidewall structure of flexible material forming an enclosure around said platform portion, said sidewall structure including an inboard wall being integral with said peripheral portion, and an outboard wall maintained in spaced relationship from said inboard wall by a bridge section, said inboard wall being relatively shorter than said outboard wall so that said platform portion is held a specified cushion distance above a lower edge of said outboard wall;
• shock limiting means formed in said sidewall structure for restricting the movement of said platform portion toward said lower edge of said outboard wall upon generally vertical shock loading of said platform portion, said means including integral formations in said bridge section and said inboard and outboard walls which define said sidewall structure into multiple wall segments, said segments being configured so that upon generally vertical shock loading of said platform portion, the contacting of adjacent wall segments of said multiple wall segments at at least one of said formations limits movement of said platform portion and the article.

A unitary packaging structure for use in packaging a shock sensitive article in a container, comprising:

• a platform portion having a peripheral portion and having sufficient rigidity to support said article;
• and
• a sidewall structure which forms an enclosure, the sidewall structure having a bridge section which has inboard and outboard end portions, a relatively shorter wall having a proximal end integral with the inboard end portion of the bridge section and a distal end extending in a direction away from the bridge section and a relatively longer wall having a proximal end integral with the outboard end portion of the bridge section and a distal end extending in said direction away from the bridge section, the peripheral portion of the platform being integral with the distal end portion of the shorter wall such that the platform portion of the platform is supported by the sidewall structure;
• and
• shock limiting means formed in said sidewall structure for restricting the movement of said platform portion toward said lower edge of said outboard wall upon generally vertical shock loading of said platform portion, said means including integral formations in said bridge section and said inboard and outboard walls which define said sidewall structure into multiple wall segments, said segments being configured so that upon generally vertical shock loading of said platform portion, the contacting of adjacent wall segments of said multiple wall segments at at least one of said formations limits movement of said platform portion and the article.

A unitary packaging structure for a shock sensitive article, comprising:

• a platform portion being provided with sufficient rigidity to support the article and having a peripheral portion;
• and
• a sidewall structure of flexible material forming an enclosure around said platform portion, said sidewall structure including an inboard wall being integral with said peripheral portion, and an outboard wall maintained in spaced relationship from said inboard wall by a bridge section, said inboard wall being relatively shorter than said outboard wall so that said platform portion is held a specified cushion distance above a lower edge of said outboard wall;
• shock limiting means formed in said sidewall structure for restricting the movement of said platform portion toward said lower edge of said outboard wall upon shock loading of said platform portion, said shock limiting means including at least one indentation in said bridge section and said inboard and outboard walls, said indentation defining said sidewall structure into multiple wall segments having end faces, and upon shock loading of said platform portion, said end faces of adjacent wall segments being configured to contact each other to limit the movement of said platform portion.