Extensible packing protector

Abstract

The present invention proposes an extensible packing protector for protecting an edge portion of a plate-like object. The packing protector comprises a first and a second complementary half members each comprising a plate for covering a respective main face of the edge portion. Each half member also comprises a row of alternating recesses and projections extending at right angle with the plate, the row of projections and recesses of the first member having a complementary configuration to the row of projections and recesses of the second member for slidably moving and fitting together the first and second half members with respect to one another and thereby obtaining an extensible side wall of the packing protector for covering the side wall of the edge portion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An extensible packing protector for protecting an edge portion of a plate-like object, the edge portion including two opposed main faces and a side wall of the plate-like object, the packing protector comprising: 
 a first and a second complementary half members each comprising: 
 a plate for covering a respective main face of the edge portion; and  
 a row of alternating recesses and projections extending at right angle with the plate, the row of projections and recesses of the first member having a complementary configuration to the row of projections and recesses of the second member for slidably moving and fitting together the first and second half members with respect to one another and thereby obtaining an extensible side wall of the packing protector for covering the side wall of the edge portion.  
   
     
     
         2 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the first and second half members, the plate is triangular with three sides and the row of alternating projections and recesses is disposed along two sides thereof consisting respectively of a first side and a second side.  
     
     
         3 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second half members comprises a square corner between the first and second side of the triangular plate.  
     
     
         4 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of the projections and recesses of the first and second half members has a polygonal transversal cross section.  
     
     
         5 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the first and second half members are identical and, for each of said half members, the projections along the first and second sides have a same height and each of the alternating projections and recesses disposed along the first side is in mirror symmetry with a recess and a projection respectively on the second side, and, at the square corner of each half member, the row comprises a projection having a height corresponding to half the height of the projections along the first and second sides.  
     
     
         6 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first and second half members are different, and, for each of said half members, the projections along the first and second sides have a same height and each of the alternating projections and recesses disposed along the first side is in mirror symmetry with a projection and a recess respectively on the second side.  
     
     
         7 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second half members is made of a plastic foam material.  
     
     
         8 . An extensible packing protector as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the plastic foam material is a plastic polystyrene.  
     
     
         9 . An extensible corner packing protector for protecting a corner edge of a plate-like object, the corner edge including two opposed main faces and a side wall of the plate-like object, the packing protector comprising: 
 a first and a second identical complementary half members each comprising: 
 a triangular plate with three sides for covering a respective main face of the corner edge; and  
 a row of alternating recesses and projections extending at right angle with the plate and being disposed along a first side and a second side of said three sides of the plate respectively, the row of projections and recesses of the first member having a complementary configuration to the row of projections and recesses of the second member for slidably moving and fitting together the first and second half members with respect to one another and thereby obtaining an extensible side wall of the packing protector for covering the side wall of the edge portion.