Motorcycle fuel tank packaging system

Abstract

A motorcycle fuel tank packaging system may include a carton for housing the motorcycle fuel tank during shipment. The carton may have a plurality of walls. The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system may include a panel fixedly positioned within the carton in a position that is substantially parallel to one of the walls of the carton, a clamp within the carton that is configured to releasably secure the motorcycle fuel tank, and a clamp base attached to the clamp at a location on the clamp base that causes the motorcycle fuel tank when secured by the clamp to be substantially spaced from each of the walls of the carton. The clamp base may include one or more rigid cross-beams sandwiched snuggly between the panel and the wall of the carton that is substantially parallel to the panel.

1 . A motorcycle fuel tank packaging system comprising:
 a corrugated cardboard carton for housing the motorcycle fuel tank during shipment, the carton having a plurality of walls;   a single piece of corrugated cardboard folded within the carton so as to create:
 a panel that is substantially parallel to a wall of the carton; 
 two support flaps that are substantially perpendicular to the panel; and 
 a seat configured to support an under surface of the motorcycle fuel tank; 
   a clamp within the carton that includes the seat and that is configured to releasably secure the motorcycle fuel tank by applying force to the motorcycle fuel tank only at an under surface of the motorcycle fuel tank and at inner surface of a neck of the motorcycle fuel tank; and   a clamp base attached to the clamp at a location on the clamp base that causes the motorcycle fuel tank when secured by the clamp to be substantially in the center of the carton and spaced from each of the walls of the carton, the clamp base including two rigid cross-beams that are parallel to and spaced apart from one another, that are sandwiched snuggly between the panel and the wall of the carton that is substantially parallel to the panel, that are attached to the panel, and that are not attached to any wall of the carton.   
   
   
       2 . A motorcycle fuel tank packaging system comprising:
 a carton for housing the motorcycle fuel tank during shipment, the carton having a plurality of walls;   a panel fixedly positioned within the carton in a position that is substantially parallel to one of the walls of the carton;   a clamp within the carton that is configured to releasably secure the motorcycle fuel tank; and   a clamp base attached to the clamp at a location on the clamp base that causes the motorcycle fuel tank when secured by the clamp to be substantially spaced from each of the walls of the carton, the clamp base including one or more rigid cross-beams sandwiched snuggly between the panel and the wall of the carton that is substantially parallel to the panel.   
   
   
       3 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the rigid cross-beams are parallel and spaced apart from one another. 
   
   
       4 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the rigid cross-beams are made of wood. 
   
   
       5 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the wall of the carton which is substantially parallel to the panel has a wall width and wherein the rigid cross-beams each have a length that is approximately equal to the wall width. 
   
   
       6 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the rigid cross-beams each abut an opposing wall of the carton different from the wall of the carton that is parallel to the panel. 
   
   
       7 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the panel is corrugated cardboard. 
   
   
       8 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the rigid cross-beams are attached to the panel. 
   
   
       9 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 8  wherein the rigid cross-beams are attached to the panel with glue. 
   
   
       10 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 8  wherein the rigid cross-beams are not attached to any wall of the carton. 
   
   
       11 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the panel lies between the clamp and the rigid cross beams and wherein the rigid cross-beams are each attached to the clamp by a bolt which passes through the panel. 
   
   
       12 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the clamp is configured to engage the motorcycle fuel tank only at an under surface of the motorcycle fuel tank and at an inner surface of a neck of the motorcycle fuel tank. 
   
   
       13 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 12  wherein the clamp includes a tapered plug configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the neck of the motorcycle fuel tank. 
   
   
       14 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 13  wherein the clamp includes a transverse arm and wherein the tapered plug is slidably attached to the transverse arm. 
   
   
       15 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 14  wherein the clamp includes two support posts, wherein the transverse arm has two ends, and wherein each of the support posts supports a different end of the transverse arm. 
   
   
       16 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 12  wherein the clamp includes a seat that is configured to support the under surface of the motorcycle fuel tank. 
   
   
       17 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 16  wherein the seat and the panel are part of a continuous folded sheet. 
   
   
       18 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 17  wherein the continuous folded sheet is corrugated cardboard. 
   
   
       19 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 16  wherein the clamp includes one or more support posts configured to support the seat from beneath the seat. 
   
   
       20 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 19  wherein the seat has opposing ends and wherein each of the posts is positioned beneath a different one of the opposing ends of the seat. 
   
   
       21 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  further comprising support flaps that are configured to cooperate with the clamp base to cause the panel to be fixedly positioned within the carton. 
   
   
       22 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 21  wherein the clamp includes a seat and wherein the support flaps, the panel, and the seat are part of a continuous folded sheet. 
   
   
       23 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 22  wherein the continuous folded sheet is corrugated cardboard. 
   
   
       24 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 19  wherein the support flaps, the panel, and the rigid cross-beams form a three dimensional structure having a length, a width, and a height, and wherein the carton has an interior with substantially the same length, width and height. 
   
   
       25 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the panel include two spaced-apart portions within the same plane. 
   
   
       26 . The motorcycle fuel tank packaging system of  claim 2  wherein the clamp is approximately centered between two walls of the carton. 
   
   
       27 . A motorcycle fuel tank packaging system comprising:
 a panel configured to be placed within a carton and parallel to a wall of the carton, the panel having a upper surface, a bottom surface, and two opposing perimeter edges;   a clamp configured to be placed within the carton and to releasably secure the motorcycle fuel tank, the clamp abutting the upper surface of the panel at a location that is spaced substantially from both of the two opposing perimeter edges of the panel; and   one or more rigid cross-beams that are configured to be placed within the carton, that are each attached to the clamp, that have a length that approximately spans between the two opposing perimeter edges of the panel, and that abuts the bottom surface of the panel along its length.