US 8,230,997 B1Granted

Bottle support for packaging and shipping

OwnerGlenn P. McWilliams, Richard A. Hallinventors

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Abstract

A bottle support is shown in the form of a double bottle enclosure, a single bottle enclosure and a triple bottle enclosure. Each enclosure embodiment includes an outer box having an orthorhombic shape. A lower retainer fits within a lower portion of the outer box. The lower retainer includes a top deck with holes therein to receive lower ends of bottles spaced from walls of the outer box. An upper retainer also fits within the outer box near an upper end of the outer box. The upper retainer includes a main panel with holes therein which are sized to receive necks of bottles passing therethrough. The main panel keeps the necks of the bottles from impacting the upper end of the box and centered within the outer box. The retainers are preferably formed of planar panels of rigid material, such as corrugated paperboard, cut and folded to form the retainers.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An enclosure for containing at least one bottle therein, the enclosure comprising in combination:

an outer box substantially completely enclosing an interior space;
said outer box having an orthorhombic shape including a substantially planar front wall opposite a substantially planar rear wall, with side walls extending between said front wall and said rear wall, and with upper and lower end walls adapted to enclose upper and lower ends of said box;
a lower retainer adapted to reside within said interior space adjacent said lower end wall;
said lower retainer having a top deck held by said lower retainer in a position spaced from said lower end;
said top deck including at least one hole therein, said hole adapted to receive a bottle having a similar diameter to said at least one hole;
an upper retainer adapted to reside within said interior space adjacent said upper end wall;
said upper retainer having a main panel held by said upper retainer in a position spaced from said upper wall;
said main panel having at least one hole therein, said hole adapted to receive a neck of the bottle passing therethrough;
said upper retainer including at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel, said at least one spacing panel adapted to space said main panel sufficiently from said outer box to keep an upper end of the bottle out of contact with said outer box, said at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel at a point on said main panel closer to said hole in said main panel than to edges of said main panel;
and
said at least one spacing panel connected on at least a portion thereof to a front panel which is connected in fixed position to at least a portion of said main panel, said front panel extending from said main panel non-parallel with said main panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-parallel with both said main panel and said front panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-perpendicular to said front panel, such that said at least one spacing panel is to some extent held in position relative to said main panel by said front panel therebetween.

8 more elements

A bottle enclosure comprising in combination:

an outer box formed of a plurality of thin planar walls;
a lower retainer;
said lower retainer adapted to fit within said outer box;
said lower retainer adapted to support a lower end of a bottle adjacent thereto;
an upper retainer;
said upper retainer adapted to fit within said outer box;
said upper retainer adapted to support a neck of a bottle adjacent thereto;
said upper retainer having a substantially planar main panel with a hole sized to receive the neck of the bottle passing therethrough;
said upper retainer including at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel, said at least one spacing panel adapted to space said main panel sufficiently from said outer box to keep an upper end of the bottle out of contact with said outer box, said at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel at a point on said main panel closer to said hole in said main panel than to edges of said main panel;
and
said at least one spacing panel connected on at least a portion thereof to a front panel which is connected in fixed position to at least a portion of said main panel, said front panel extending from said main panel non-parallel with said main panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-parallel with both said main panel and said front panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-perpendicular to said front panel, such that said at least one spacing panel is to some extent held in position relative to said main panel by said front panel therebetween.

8 more elements

A bottle protective enclosure comprising in combination:

an outer box formed of a plurality of thin planar walls spaced from each other and surrounding an interior space;
a first retainer;
said first retainer adapted to fit within said outer box;
said first retainer adapted to support a lower end of a bottle adjacent thereto;
a second retainer;
said second retainer adapted to fit within said outer box;
said second retainer adapted to support a neck of a bottle adjacent thereto;
said second retainer having a substantially planar main panel with a hole sized large enough to receive the neck of the bottle passing therethrough and small enough to prevent passage of the lower end of the bottle therethrough;
said second retainer including at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel, said at least one spacing panel adapted to space said main panel sufficiently from said outer box to keep an upper end of the bottle out of contact with said outer box, said at least one spacing panel abutting said main panel at a point on said main panel closer to said hole in said main panel than to edges of said main panel;
and
said at least one spacing panel connected on at least a portion thereof to a front panel which is connected in fixed position to at least a portion of said main panel, said front panel extending from said main panel non-parallel with said main panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-parallel with both said main panel and said front panel, and said at least one spacing panel oriented non-perpendicular to said front panel, such that said at least one spacing panel is to some extent held in position relative to said main panel by said front panel therebetween.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/290,164Filed 27 Oct 2008 · us provisional application
Priority: 2 Nov 2007
Granted: 31 Jul 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B65D 5/5038
Paper elements: tray-like elements formed by folding a blank and presenting openings or recesses
B65D 85/305
For articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure: bottle-crates
B65D
Containers for storage or transport of articles or materials