Protective insert for commercial packaging of fragile stackable items

Abstract

A one-piece protective insert comprising a plurality of laterally-aligned chambers each configured to fit a stack of fragile items, such as edible cones. Each chamber is formed by the union of a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a back wall and a top wall. A top flange and side flanges may be connected to the protective insert. In packaging multiple cone stacks, a protective insert is placed in between a first row of cone stacks and a second row of cone stacks, such that the top wall of each chamber of the protective insert is positioned above the open end of the cone stacks in the second row and each of the cone stacks in the second row fits within one of the chambers of the protective insert. This packing method is repeated for all successive rows of cone stacks within the container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A protective insert for use in packaging a plurality of edible cones comprising: 
 a plurality of laterally-aligned chambers each formed by a union of a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a back wall, each chamber configured to fit a stack of edible cones;    a top wall extending at least partially over each of the plurality of chambers; and    wherein the plurality of chambers and the top wall comprise a unitary construction.    
     
     
         2 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the top wall has a length and a width, the length being substantially equal to a lateral distance across the plurality of chambers; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a top flange connected to the top wall and extending length-wise at least partially along the length of the top wall.    
     
     
         3 . The protective insert of  claim 2 , wherein the width of the top wall is bounded by a front edge and a back edge, the back edge being a location where the back wall of each chamber the joins the top wall; and 
 wherein the top flange is connected to the front edge of the top wall and extends width-wise beyond the back edge of the top wall.    
     
     
         4 . The protective insert of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a first end chamber, a second end chamber and a plurality of middle chambers positioned between the first end chamber and the second end chamber; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a first side flange connected to the first side wall of the first end chamber and a second side flange connected to the second side wall of the second end chamber.    
     
     
         5 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a first end chamber, a second end chamber and a plurality of middle chambers positioned between the first end chamber and the second end chamber; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a first side flange connected to the first side wall of the first end chamber and a second side flange connected to the second side wall of the second end chamber.    
     
     
         6 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary construction is made from foam.  
     
     
         7 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary construction is made from plastic.  
     
     
         8 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the unitary construction is formed using a molding process.  
     
     
         9 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of chambers is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         10 . The protective insert of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises five chambers.  
     
     
         11 . A protective insert for use in packaging a plurality of edible cones comprising: 
 a plurality of laterally-aligned chambers each formed by a union of a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a back wall and a top wall, each chamber configured to fit a stack of edible cones;    a top flange extending at least partially over each top wall of the plurality of chambers; and    wherein the plurality of chambers and the top flange comprise a unitary construction.    
     
     
         12 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein each top wall has a width that is bounded by a front edge and a back edge, the back edge being a location where the back wall joins the top wall; and 
 wherein the top flange is connected to the front edge of each top wall and extends width-wise beyond the back edge of each top wall.    
     
     
         13 . The protective insert of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a first end chamber, a second end chamber and a plurality of middle chambers positioned between the first end chamber and the second end chamber; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a first side flange connected to the first sidewall of the first end chamber and a second side flange connected to the second sidewall of the second end chamber.    
     
     
         14 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a first end chamber, a second end chamber and a plurality of middle chambers positioned between the first end chamber and the second end chamber; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a first side flange connected to the first side wall of the first end chamber and a second side flange connected to the second side wall of the second end chamber.    
     
     
         15 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein the unitary construction is made from foam.  
     
     
         16 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein the unitary construction is made from plastic.  
     
     
         17 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein the unitary construction is formed using a molding process.  
     
     
         18 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of chambers is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         19 . The protective insert of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises five chambers.  
     
     
         20 . A method of packaging a plurality of cone stacks using protective inserts, each protective insert comprising a plurality of laterally-aligned chambers each formed by a union of a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a back wall and a top wall, each chamber configured to fit an cone stack, each cone stack having a pointed end and an open end, the method comprising: 
 placing a cone holder into a container having a bottom and a top, the cone holder being placed near the bottom of the container and being configured to receive the pointed end of each of the plurality of cone stacks;    placing a first row of cone stacks into the container such that the pointed end of each cone stack in the first row is received by the cone holder;    placing a second row of edible cones into the container such that the pointed end of each cone stack in the second row is received by the cone holder; and    placing a protective insert between the first row of cone stacks and the second row of cone stacks, such that the top wall of each chamber of the protective insert is positioned above the open end of the cone stacks in the second row and each of the cone stacks in the second row fits within one of the chambers of the protective insert.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first row of cones is substantially near a side of the box; and 
 wherein the method further comprises placing a second protective insert between the side of the container and the first row of cones, such that the top wall of each chamber of the second protective insert is positioned above the open end of the cone stacks in the first row and each of the cone stacks in the first row fits within one of the chambers of the second protective insert.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the protective insert is made from foam.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the protective insert is made from plastic.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each of the chambers of the protective insert is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the protective insert further comprises a top flange extending at least partially over each top wall of the plurality of chambers; 
 wherein each top wall of the plurality of chambers has a width that is bounded by a front edge and a back edge, the back edge being a location where the back wall joins the top wall;    wherein the top flange is connected to the front edge of each top wall and extends width-wise beyond the back edge of each top wall; and    wherein the protective insert is placed in the container such that the top flange extends at least partially above the first row of cones.    
     
     
         26 . A package of edible cones comprising: 
 a container;    a plurality of rows of cone stacks disposed within the container, each cone stack having a pointed end and an open end; and    a plurality of protective inserts disposed within the container, each protective insert comprising a plurality of laterally-aligned chambers each formed by a union of a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a back wall and a top wall, each protective insert positioned behind one of the rows of cone stacks such that each of the cone stacks fits within one of the chambers of the protective insert.    
     
     
         27 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein the protective insert further comprises a top flange extending at least partially over each top wall of the plurality of chambers.  
     
     
         28 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 27 , wherein each top wall of the plurality of chambers has a width that is bounded by a front edge and a back edge, the back edge being a location where the back wall joins the top wall; 
 wherein the top flange is connected to the front edge of each top wall and extends width-wise beyond the back edge of each top wall; and    wherein the protective insert is positioned such that the top flange extends at least partially above the row of cones.    
     
     
         29 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a first end chamber, a second end chamber and a plurality of middle chambers positioned between the first end chamber and the second end chamber; and 
 wherein the protective insert further comprises a first side flange connected to the first side wall of the first end chamber and a second side flange connected to the second side wall of the second end chamber.    
     
     
         30 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein the protective insert is made from foam.  
     
     
         32 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein the protective insert is made from plastic.  
     
     
         33 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein the protective insert is formed using a molding process.  
     
     
         34 . The package of edible cones recited in  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of chambers is substantially semi-cylindrical in shape.