Furniture packing structure and method

Abstract

A packing structure includes a lower tray that covers a bottom portion of an item; an upper tray that covers a top portion of the item; a plurality of impact-dampening pieces that are placed on an exterior surface of the item; and a transparent cover that covers the lower tray, the upper tray and the plurality of impact-dampening pieces, wherein the exterior surface of the item is visible from outside the packing structure.

1 . A packing structure, comprising:
 a lower tray that covers a bottom portion of an item;   an upper tray that covers a top portion of the item;   a plurality of impact-dampening pieces that are placed on an exterior surface of the item; and   a transparent cover that covers the lower tray, the upper tray and the plurality of impact-dampening pieces,   wherein the exterior surface of the item is visible from outside the packing structure.   
     
     
         2 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the impact-dampening piece comprises a polystyrene foam piece. 
     
     
         3 . The packing structure of  claim 2 , wherein the impact-dampening piece further comprises a fabric layer placed between the polystyrene foam piece and the exterior surface of the item. 
     
     
         4 . The packing structure of  claim 3 , wherein the fabric layer is a fabric pocket that contains the polystyrene foam piece. 
     
     
         5 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the upper tray and the lower tray comprise corrugated fiberboard. 
     
     
         6 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the lower tray comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from edges of the bottom wall, and
 the upper tray comprises a top wall and a plurality of sidewalk extending downwardly from edges of the top wall.   
     
     
         7 . The packing structure of  claim 6 , wherein the bottom wall of the lower tray and the top wall of the upper tray have substantially the same shape and size. 
     
     
         8 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of impact-dampening pieces are placed on the lower tray and the upper tray. 
     
     
         9 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impact-dampening pieces comprises a corner piece that extends vertically along a side corner of the item. 
     
     
         10 . The packing structure of  claim 9 , wherein the corner piece extends between the lower tray and the upper tray. 
     
     
         11 . The packing structure of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of impact dampening pieces further comprises at least one of:
 a horizontal crossbar that extends between two of the corner pieces; and   a vertical crossbar that extends between the lower tray and the upper tray.   
     
     
         12 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of impact-dampening pieces comprises:
 a lower corner piece that is placed on a corner of the lower tray and extends upwardly to cover a lower portion of a side corner of the item; and   an upper corner piece that is placed on a corner of the upper tray and extends downwardly to over an upper portion of the side corner of the item.   
     
     
         13 . The packing structure of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent cover is a single piece comprising an opening. 
     
     
         14 . The packing structure of  claim 13 , wherein the transparent cover provides a vertical compression force that pushes the lower tray and the upper tray towards each other and a horizontal compression force that pushes the impact-dampening pieces placed on side exterior surfaces of the item inwardly. 
     
     
         15 . A method of packing an item, comprising:
 placing the item on a lower tray to cover a bottom portion of the item;   placing a plurality of impact-dampening pieces on portions of an exterior surface of the item;   placing an upper tray on the item to cover a top portion of the item; and   covering the lower tray, the upper tray and the plurality of impact-dampening pieces with a transparent cover.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising placing a plurality of impact-dampening pieces on the tower tray and the upper tray. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of impact-dampening pieces comprises at least one of:
 a corner piece that covers a side corner of the item; and   a vertical piece that covers a side surface of the item,   wherein the corner piece and the vertical piece extend between the tower tray and the upper tray.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one of:
 placing a horizontal crossbar that extends between two corner pieces; and   placing a vertical crossbar that extends between the lower tray and the upper tray.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transparent cover is a single piece comprising an opening. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the covering with the transparent cover comprises:
 stretching the transparent cover to enlarge the opening;   inserting the upper tray, the lower tray and the plurality of impact-dampening members inside the stretched cover via, the enlarged opening; and   allowing the transparent cover to shrink and compress the upper tray, the lower tray and the plurality of impact-dampening members,   wherein the transparent cover provides a vertical compression force that pushes the lower tray and the upper tray towards each other and a horizontal compression force that pushes the impact-dampening pieces placed on side exterior surfaces of the item inwardly.