Packaging for stacks of imaging material

Abstract

Described herein is a package assembly for stacks of imaging material. The packaging assembly comprises a master carton that retains stacks of imaging material and a separation access band. The separation access band separates the stacks from one another within the master carton.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging assembly, comprising:
 a master carton that retains a plurality of stacks comprising imaging material; and   a separation access band having a first end and a second end that separates at least one stack of the plurality of stacks from one another, the separation access band comprising a plurality of folds forming a plurality of pockets that separate the plurality of stacks within the master carton.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , the first end of the separation access band being connected to a first rigid surface of the master carton and the second end of the separation access band being connected to a second rigid surface of the master carton that is substantially opposite to the first rigid surface. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging assembly of  claim 2 , the first rigid surface comprising a top portion of the master carton, the top portion comprising at least one flap that rotationally hinges along a side wall of the master carton and is connected to the first end of the separation access band. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging assembly of  claim 2 , the separation access band comprising a protective film or corrugated paper that substantially secures the plurality of stacks from vibration and shock, each stack of the plurality of stacks comprising a plurality of sheet substrate that comprises the imaging material. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , the separation access band transversely extending across a top surface and a bottom surface of the at least one stack of the plurality of stacks to form a zigzag pattern within the master carton. 
     
     
         6 . A master carton, comprising:
 a first rigid surface;   a second rigid surface substantially opposite to the first rigid surface;   a separation access band comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a protection layer that separates stacks of imaging material from one another between the first rigid surface and the second rigid surface, the protection layer comprising at least one fold that orients the separation access band in a zigzag pattern to separate the stacks from one another.   
     
     
         7 . The master carton of  claim 6 , the first rigid surface comprising a top surface having at least one flap with a rotational hinge portion connected along a side wall of the master carton and that is attached to the first end of the separation access band. 
     
     
         8 . The master carton of  claim 7 , the second end of the separation access band being attached to the second rigid surface that comprises a bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . The master carton of  claim 8 , the protection layer comprises a first fold that is proximate to the first end and a second fold that is proximate to the second end of the separation access band, the first fold and the second fold being located on a same side of the master carton as the first wall. 
     
     
         10 . The master carton of  claim 1 , the at least one fold of the protection layer forming a plurality of pockets that separate the stacks from one another within the master carton, the protection layer comprising a continuous sheet of film material or corrugated paper that transversely extends along a top surface and a bottom surface of the stacks. 
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing a packaging assembly, comprising:
 positioning, by a packaging assembly device operated by at least one processor to execute instructions stored in a memory, a stack of a plurality of stacks of imaging media with a separation access band;   positioning an additional stack of imaging media above the stack of imaging media; and   traversing the separation access band across a top surface and a bottom surface of the stack of imaging media and the additional stack of imaging media respectively.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 erecting a master carton comprising a top rigid surface around the plurality of stacks of imaging media; and   attaching a first end of the separation access band to the top rigid surface and attaching a second end of the separation access band to a bottom rigid surface of the master carton.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming a plurality of folds along the separation access band to further form pockets that separate and secure the plurality of stacks of imaging media from one another.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , the positioning the stack of imaging media comprising positioning the stack of imaging media in a first direction, and the positioning the additional stack of imaging media comprises positioning the additional stack of imaging media in a second direction that substantially opposes the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 attaching a first end of the separation access band to a flap of the top rigid surface that provides access to and provides a top closure to the master carton; and   generating a fold at the first end attached to the flap that enables the separation access band that traverses a top surface of the plurality of stacks to partially lift in response to the flap being opened.