Egg packaging

Abstract

A cruciform sheet including a rectangular central section bounded by two sections on each side substantially coextensive with the central section, and dimensioned to wrap around an egg carton. The sheet is bound at top and bottom by flaps, from which tabs extend. The flaps can be folded to cover a carton end, with the tabs inserted between the carton top and the folded side sections.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cover to package cartoned eggs, comprising:
 a cruciform sheet of material having stiffness of at least corrugated cardboard, comprising:
 a rectangular central section dimensioned along each of the central section right edge and the central section left edge to the length of an egg carton, and along each of the central section top edge and the central section bottom edge to the width of the egg carton; 
 a rectangular first right section abutting, and coextensive with, the central section right edge along the first right section left edge; the first right section dimensioned along each of a first right section top edge and first right section bottom edge to the at overall height of the egg carton plus the thickness of the sheet; 
 a rectangular second right section abutting, and coextensive with, the first right section right edge along the second right section left edge; the second right section dimensioned along each of a second right section top edge and second right section bottom edge to the overall width of the egg carton plus the thickness of the sheet; 
 a rectangular first left section abutting, and coextensive with, the central section left edge along the first left section right edge; the first left section dimensioned along each of a first left section top edge and first left section bottom edge to the overall height of the egg carton; 
 a rectangular second left section abutting, and coextensive with, the first left section left edge along the second left section right edge; the second left section dimensioned along each of a second left section top edge and second left section bottom edge to the overall width of the egg carton; 
 a rectangular top flap abutting, and coextensive with, the central section top edge along the top flap bottom edge; the top flap dimensioned along each of the top flap left edge and the top flap right edge to the overall height of the egg carton; 
 a top tab abutting the top flap along the top edge of the top flap; the top tab dimensioned along a top tab bottom edge and a top tab top edge less than the width of the egg carton by at least the thickness of the sheet; 
 a rectangular bottom flap abutting, and coextensive with, the central section bottom edge along the bottom flap top edge; the bottom flap dimensioned along each of the bottom flap left edge and the bottom flap right edge to the overall height of the egg carton; and 
 a bottom tab abutting the bottom flap along the bottom edge of the bottom flap; the bottom tab dimensioned along a bottom tab bottom edge and a bottom tab top edge less than the width of the egg carton by at least the thickness of the sheet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein each central section edge, the first right section left edge, first right section right edge, top flap top edge, and bottom flap bottom edge are creased toward the front face of the sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 2 , wherein the top flap bottom edge and bottom flap top edge are perforated. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the second left section top edge comprises an upper tab slotted inward from the second left section top edge, and the second right section top edge forms therein a cutout corresponding to the upper tab; and second left section bottom edge comprises a lower tab slotted inward from the second left section bottom edge, and the second right section bottom edge forms therein a cutout corresponding to the lower tab. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 4 , wherein each of the upper tab and lower tab is trapezoidal with the trapezoid base at the respective edge. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein each of the lower tab and the upper tab are one of rounded and chamfered. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the cover material is one of corrugated fiberboard and corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the cover material is a plastic. 
     
     
         9 . A method for packaging eggs, comprising:
 providing a cover of  claim 1 ;   placing an egg carton on the sheet with the egg carton bottom aligned with the central panel;   folding the first left section to contact the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel left edge and the second left section to be substantially parallel to the top of the egg carton;   folding the first right section to contact the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel right edge and the second left section to contact the top of the second left section; and   folding the bottom flap to be substantially parallel to the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel bottom edge;   folding the bottom tab to be substantially parallel to and contacting the top of the egg carton;   folding the top flap to be substantially parallel to the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel top edge; and   folding the top tab to be substantially parallel to and contacting the top of the egg carton.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 :
 wherein:
 the second left section top edge comprises an upper tab slotted inward from the second left section top edge, 
 the second right section top edge comprises an upper cutout corresponding to the upper tab, 
 the second left section bottom edge comprises a lower tab slotted inward from the second left section bottom edge, and 
 the second right section bottom edge comprises a lower cutout corresponding to the lower tab; and 
   the method further comprises:
 after folding the first left section to contact the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel left edge and the second left section to be substantially parallel to the top of the egg carton, and after folding the first right section to contact the side of the egg carton nearest the central panel right edge and the second left section to contact the top of the second left section,
 bending the upper tab through the upper cutout; and 
 bending the lower tab through the lower cutout. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing an egg carton insert, comprising:
 an N row by M column array of interconnected domes:
 each dome sized to enclose a top portion of an egg; 
 each dome connected to each neighboring dome in the array; 
 the array of domes forming an opening between each group of four adjacent domes; and 
 the array arranged such that each dome corresponds to a dimple of an egg carton into which the insert can be placed; 
 
 wherein the overall dimensions of the egg carton insert are such that the egg carton can be closed when the insert is placed over one egg occupying each dimple of the egg carton; and 
   providing an egg carton insert in the form of an array of interconnected domes sized corresponding to the array of dimples of the egg carton:
 each dome sized to enclose a top portion of an egg, 
 each dome connected to each neighboring dome in the array, 
 the array of domes forming an opening between each group of four adjacent domes, and 
 the array arranged such that each dome corresponds to a dimple of the egg carton; 
 wherein the overall dimensions of the egg carton insert are such that the egg carton can be closed when the insert is placed over one egg occupying each dimple of the egg carton; 
   placing the array over the eggs such that each dome aligns with a dimple; and   closing the egg carton.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least one dome defines therein a cutout along a portion of the at least one dome at a long side of the array. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the insert material is molded pulp. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein
 N is at least two and M is at least two;   in each even-numbered column, each odd-numbered dome position is vacant; and   in each odd-numbered column, each even-numbered dome position is vacant.