Packaging Assembly

Abstract

Provided herein is, among other things, a packaging assembly comprising a substantially rigid panel having a pair of side edges; a pair of end edges; a center portion; a pair of proximal segments, each connected respectively to the right side and left side of the center portion; a pair of distal segments, each connected to one of the proximal segments opposite to the center portion; a first pair of substantially parallel fold lines; a second pair of substantially parallel fold lines; and a flexible film material secured on the rigid panel, wherein an object to be packaged is held securely between the flexible film material and the rigid panel. Also provided herein is a method of packaging an object using the packaging assembly disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a) a substantially rigid panel having:
 (i) a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges; 
 (ii) a center portion around the center of the rigid panel; 
 (iii) a pair of proximal segments, each connected respectively to the right side and left side of the center portion; 
 (iv) a pair of distal segments, each respectively connected to one of the proximal segments; and 
 (v) a first pair of substantially parallel fold lines and a second pair of substantially parallel fold lines, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines and the second pair of fold lines are substantially parallel with each other, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines and the pair of side edges define the center portion, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines, the second pair of fold lines and the pair of side edges define the proximal segments, 
 wherein the second pair of fold lines, the pair of side edges and the pair of end edges define the distal segments, and 
 wherein the width of the pair of distal segments is greater than the width of the pair of proximal segments; and 
   b) a film material having opposed ends superimposed on one surface of the rigid panel, extending over the center portion and passing the first pair of fold lines onto the proximal segments, wherein each of the opposed ends is secured respectively to each of the proximal segments by one or more stitch lines.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1  further comprises a pair of unsecured edge portions of the film material substantially adjacent to the side edges. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid panel has an unfolded condition in which the proximal segments and the distal segments are substantially coplanar with the center portion and has a folded condition in which the proximal segments are folded away from the film material and are substantially transverse to the center portion, and the distal segments are folded towards the film material and are substantially transverse to the center portion. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a box adapted to receive the rigid panel in the folded condition, the box having interior dimensions corresponding to the peripheral dimensions of the rigid panel when folded so that the rigid panel is securely held within the box. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the stitch lines extend from one of the side edges to the other side edge. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging assembly of  claim 4 , wherein each stitch line comprises a plurality of stitch line segments having unsecured portions of film therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one opening in the center portion adjacent to one of the side edges and at least one cutout along the opposite side edge. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one cutout along each of the end edges. 
     
     
         9 . A packaging assembly comprising:
 a) a substantially rigid panel having:
 (i) a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges; 
 (ii) a center portion around the center of the rigid panel; 
 (iii) a pair of proximal segments, each connected respectively to the right side and left side of the center portion; 
 (iv) a pair of distal segments, each respectively connected to one of the proximal segments; and 
 (v) a first pair of substantially parallel fold lines and a second pair of substantially parallel fold lines, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines and the second pair of fold lines are substantially parallel with each other, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines and the pair of side edges define the center portion, 
 wherein the first pair of fold lines, the second pair of fold lines and the pair of side edges define the proximal segments, 
 wherein the second pair of fold lines, the pair of side edges and the pair of end edges define the distal segments, and 
 wherein the width of the pair of distal segments is greater than the width of the pair of proximal segments; 
   b) a film material having opposed ends superimposed on one surface of the rigid panel, extending over the center portion and passing the first pair of fold lines onto the proximal segments, wherein each of the opposed ends is secured respectively to each of the proximal segments by one or more stitch lines; and   c) a box adapted to receive the rigid panel in the folded condition, the box having interior dimensions corresponding to the peripheral dimensions of the rigid panel when folded so that the rigid panel is securely held within the box.   
     
     
         10 . The packaging assembly of  claim 9  further comprises a pair of unsecured edge portions of the film material substantially adjacent to the side edges. 
     
     
         11 . A packaging assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a height of the box from a bottom end to a top end thereof is substantially equal to the width of the distal segments, and wherein a width of the box from a side to the opposite side thereof is substantially equal to the width of the center portion. 
     
     
         12 . A packaging assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rigid panel has an unfolded condition in which the proximal segments and the distal segments are substantially coplanar with the center portion and has a folded condition in which the proximal segments are folded away from the film material and are substantially transverse to the center portion, and the distal segments are folded towards the film material and are substantially transverse to the center portion. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging assembly of  claim 8 , wherein one or more of the stitch lines extend from one of the side edges to the other side edge. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each stitch line comprises a plurality of stitch line segments having unsecured portions of film therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging assembly of  claim 8  further comprising at least one opening in the center portion adjacent to one of the side edges and at least one cutout along the opposite side edge. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging assembly of  claim 8  further comprising at least one cutout along each of the end edges. 
     
     
         17 . A method for packaging an object in the packaging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 a) folding the pair of proximal segments in a direction towards the film material;   b) inserting at least a portion of the object into the packaging assembly through an opening defined by an unsecured edge portion of the film material and the rigid panel;   c) folding each of the distal segments towards the film material and folding the pair of proximal segments together with the pair of distal segments in a direction away from the film material in which the film material is tightened against at least a portion of the object and the pair of proximal segments and the pair of distal segments are substantially transverse to the center portion and the end edges are above the film material; and   d) placing the folded panel with the object into a box having interior dimensions corresponding to the peripheral dimensions of the folded panel.