Shuttle for Securing Shoes in a Cylindrical Container

Abstract

A packaging shuttle secures a pair of shoes in a manner suitable for insertion into a cylindrical container. The packaging shuttle secures the shoes in a stacked configuration such that heel portions of the shoes are supported at the lower and upper ends of the shuttle respectively, and the toe portions of the shoes are supported by a toe-supporting structure at a mid-portion of the packaging shuttle. Removable spacers may be inserted into the packaging shuttle adjacent to the lower and upper ends of the shuttle to enable the packaging shuttle to securely accommodate different size shoes using the same packaging shuttle and cylindrical container.

1 . A packaging shuttle for securing a pair of shoes within a cylindrical container, the packaging shuttle comprising:
 a base plate;   a top plate substantially parallel to the base plate;   a first upright support protruding from the base plate and supporting the top plate, the first upright support having a surface substantially perpendicular to the base plate and the top plate, the first upright support connected adjacent to a first edge of the base plate and connected adjacent to a first edge of the top plate;   a second upright support protruding from the base plate and supporting the top plate, the second upright support having a surface substantially perpendicular to the base plate and the top plate, the second upright support connected adjacent to a second edge of the base plate and connected adjacent to a second edge of the top plate,   a first lateral support between the first upright support and the second upright support, the first lateral support substantially perpendicular to the first upright support and the second upright support, and the first lateral support having a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the base plate with greater distance from the base plate; and   a second lateral support between the first upright support and the second upright support, the first lateral support substantially perpendicular to the first upright support and the second upright surface, and the second lateral support having a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the top plate with greater distance from the top plate; and   a connecting support between a lower edge of the first lateral support and an upper edge of the second lateral support so as to form a downward cavity between the first lateral support and the connecting support and to form an upward cavity between the second lateral support and the connecting support.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a removable lower spacer positioned between the first upright support and the second upright support above the base plate, the removable spacer having a surface substantially parallel to the base plate; and   a removable upper spacer adjacent to the top plate between the first upright support and the second upright support below the top plate, the removable upper spacer having a surface substantially parallel to the top plate.   
     
     
         3 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 2 , wherein the removable lower spacer is coupled to the first upright support and the second upright support via first adhesives, and wherein the removable upper spacer is coupled to the first upright support and the second upright support via second adhesives. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 2 , wherein the removable lower spacer and the removable upper spacer each comprise:
 a foldable sheet having a plurality of perforated lines symmetric about a center line of the foldable sheet, the foldable sheet at least partially folded along at least two folded lines on opposite sides of the center line such that an inner region of the foldable sheet between the at least two folded lines is supported by support regions of the foldable sheet outside of the two folded lines.   
     
     
         5 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 2 , wherein the removable lower space and the removable upper space each comprise a foldable sheet structured to include:
 an inner region between a first folded line on a first side of a center line and a first folded line on a second side of the center line;   a first upright region between the first folded line and a second folded line on the first side of the center line outside the first folded line on the first side, the first upright region substantially perpendicular to the inner region;   a second upright region between the first folded line on the second side and a second folded line on the second side outside the first folded line on the second side, the second upright region substantially perpendicular to the inner region;   a first outer region outside the second folded line on the first side substantially parallel to and offset from the inner region; and   a second outer region outside the second folded line on the second side substantially parallel to and offset from the inner region.   
     
     
         6 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 1 , wherein the first upright support comprises:
 a first lower support coupled to the base plate and having an outer edge at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the base plate such that a distance from the outer edge to a center axis through the base plate increases with distance from the base plate;   a first upper support coupled to the top plate and to the first lower support, the first upper support having an outer edge approximately at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the top plate such that a distance from the outer edge to a center axis through the top plate increases with distance from the top plate,   wherein the outer edge of the first lower support is approximately parallel to the outer edge of the first upper support.   
     
     
         7 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 6 , wherein the first lateral support is coupled adjacent to the outer edge of the first lower support and adjacent to the outer edge of the second lower support, and wherein the second lateral support is coupled adjacent to the outer edge of the first upper support and adjacent to the outer edge of the second upper support. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging shuttle is formed from a unibody foldable cut sheet. 
     
     
         9 . A packaging system for securing a pair of shoes comprising:
 a cylindrical container;   a shuttle insertable within the cylindrical container to secure a pair of shoes in a stacked configuration, the shuttle comprising:
 a base plate at a first end of the shuttle; 
 a top plate at a second end of the shuttle; and 
 a toe-securing structure at a mid-portion of the shuttle, the toe-securing structure to secure a toe end of a first shoe and a a toe end of a second shoe; 
   a lower spacer insertable adjacent to the base plate to secure a heel end of the first shoe; and   an upper spacer insertable adjacent to the top plate to secure a heel end of the second shoe.   
     
     
         10 . The packaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the toe-securing structure comprises:
 a first lateral support comprising a first sheet;   a second lateral support comprising a second sheet; and   a connecting support comprising a third sheet connecting a lower edge the first lateral support and an upper edge of the second lateral support such that a first cavity exists for securing the toe end of the first shoe between the first lateral support and the connecting support and a second cavity exists for securing the toe end of the second shoe between the second lateral support and the connecting support.   
     
     
         11 . The packaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the first lateral support has a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the base plate with greater distance from the base plate; and wherein the second lateral support has a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the top plate with greater distance from the top plate. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the first lateral support, the second lateral support, and the connecting support are each supported by a pair of upright supports. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the lower spacer comprises:
 a foldable sheet having a plurality of perforated lines symmetric about a center line of the foldable sheet, the foldable sheet at least partially folded along at least two folded lines on opposite sides of the center line such that an inner region of the foldable sheet between the at least two folded lines is supported by support regions of the foldable sheet outside of the two folded lines.   
     
     
         14 . The packaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the packaging shuttle is formed from a unibody foldable cut sheet. 
     
     
         15 . A packaging shuttle for securing a pair of shoes within a cylindrical container, the packaging shuttle comprising:
 a base plate at a first end of the shuttle adjacent to a heel end of a first shoe;   a top plate at a second end of the shuttle adjacent to a heel end of a second shoe;   a toe-securing structure at a mid-portion of the shuttle, the toe-securing structure to secure a toe end of the first shoe and to secure a toe end of the second shoe; and   a pair of upright supports coupled between the base plate, top plate, and toe-securing structure.   
     
     
         16 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 15 , wherein the toe-securing structure comprises:
 a first lateral support comprising a first sheet;   a second lateral support comprising a second sheet; and   a connecting support comprising a third sheet connecting a lower edge the first lateral support and an upper edge of the second lateral support such that a first cavity exists for securing the toe end of the first shoe between the first lateral support and the connecting support and a second cavity exists for securing the toe end of the second shoe between the second lateral support and the connecting support.   
     
     
         17 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 16 , wherein the first lateral support has a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the base plate with greater distance from the base plate; and wherein the second lateral support has a surface oriented at an angle that slopes away from a central axis of the top plate with greater distance from the top plate. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 16 , wherein the first lateral support, the second lateral support, and the connecting support are each supported by the pair of upright supports. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a lower spacer insertable adjacent to the base plate to secure a heel end of the first shoe; and   an upper spacer insertable adjacent to the top plate to secure a heel end of the second shoe.   
     
     
         20 . The packaging shuttle of  claim 15 , wherein the packaging shuttle is formed from a unibody foldable cut sheet.