Memory Foam Pillow Packaging Having A Hexagonal Prism Structure

Abstract

A bedding article is compressed and rolled by hand from one side edge to form a rolled bedding article. The resulting rolled bedding article has a shape that approximates that of a rectangular prism. The bedding article may, for example, be a pillow or a memory foam pillow. The rolled bedding article is then fitted into a hexagonal prism container such that little void space is left inside the container. In one example, the container is a cardboard box structure having a hexagonal cross section, a depth, and a side length that is smaller than the depth. The container has two base panels and six side panels. Retail stores that sell rolled memory foam pillows packaged in the container will reduce the amount of wasted shelf space. During shipment, the novel container provides for more pillows to be stored and shipped within a shipping container.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a rolled pillow; and   a container that contains the rolled pillow, wherein the container is a hexagonal prism structure having a depth and a side length, wherein the depth extends in a depth dimension, and wherein the depth is greater than the side length.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes two base panels and six side panels, wherein one of the base panels is attached to an end of one of the six side panels, wherein the other of the base panels is attached to an opposite end of one of the six side panels, wherein each base panel has a hexagonal shape, and wherein each side panel has a rectangular shape. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a plurality of flap portions, wherein each of the flap portions extends from an end of the container, and wherein each of the flap portions is foldable inward towards a center of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rolled pillow has a roll axis, and wherein the roll axis is parallel to the depth dimension. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rolled pillow is a rolled memory foam pillow. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container contains a single rolled pillow, and wherein the container does not include any additional bedding articles. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rolled pillow is rolled by hand such that no machine is involved in rolling the pillow. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a first volume, wherein the container includes void space that is not consumed by the rolled pillow, wherein the void space has a second volume, and wherein the second volume is less than at least one tenth of the first volume. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 (a) rolling at least a portion of a pillow to obtain a rolled pillow, wherein the rolled pillow has a roll axis; and   (b) placing the rolled pillow into a container, wherein the container is a hexagonal prism structure, wherein the container has a depth and a side length, wherein the depth extends in a depth dimension, and wherein the depth is greater than the side length.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 (c) placing the container into a shipping container having a plurality of containers disposed within the shipping container, wherein each of the plurality of containers contains a rolled pillow, and wherein the container is substantially identical to each of the plurality of containers.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rolled pillow has a roll axis, and wherein the roll axis is parallel to the depth dimension. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rolled pillow is a memory foam pillow. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the rolling of (a) is a hand-rolling operation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the placing of (b) involves folding a plurality of flap portions disposed along ends of the container inwards towards a center of the container. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein after the placing of (b) the container contains a single rolled pillow and does not include any additional bedding articles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein after the placing of (b) the container has a first volume, wherein the container includes void space that is not consumed by the rolled pillow, wherein the void space has a second volume, and wherein the second volume is less than at least one tenth of the first volume. 
     
     
         17 . A structure, comprising:
 a retail-store merchandise shelf having a shelf depth, wherein the shelf depth extends in a depth dimension;   a first container that contains a first rolled pillow; and   a second container that contains a second rolled pillow, wherein the first container and the second container are substantially identical, and wherein the first container is disposed on the shelf in front of the second container such that the second container is aligned with the first container in the depth dimension.   
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first container is a first hexagonal prism structure, and wherein the second container is a second hexagonal prism structure. 
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first container has a plurality of panels and the second container has a plurality of panels, and wherein one of the plurality of panels of the first container and one of the plurality of panels of the second container are disposed face-to-face on the shelf. 
     
     
         20 . The structure of  claim 17 , wherein the first rolled pillow is a first rolled memory foam pillow, wherein the first rolled memory foam pillow is rolled without involving any machine, wherein the second rolled pillow is a second rolled memory foam pillow, and wherein the second rolled memory foam pillow is rolled without involving any machine. 
     
     
         21 - 26 . (canceled)