System and method for flat packed furniture to enable reuse of packaging materials

Abstract

A flat packed furniture system includes a plurality of boxes, each comprising a packaging piece and a set of furniture parts, such that the set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the packaging piece, such that a plurality of parts in the plurality of boxes is configured to be assemblable as a furniture item, which can be a cabinet, such that a plurality of packaging pieces in the plurality of boxes is configured to be reused as packaging for the furniture item. Also disclosed is a method for flat packing furniture, including flat packing, shipping, unpacking, assembling, repacking, and reshipping.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for flat packing furniture, comprising:
 a) flat packing a furniture item, wherein a plurality of parts for the furniture item are flat packaged inside a plurality of packaging pieces, producing a plurality of boxes;   b) shipping the flat packed furniture item, wherein the plurality of boxes is shipped from a manufacturing location to a reseller location;   c) unpacking the flat packed furniture item, wherein the plurality of parts, comprising a plurality of sets of furniture parts, is unpackaged from the plurality of boxes;   d) assembling the furniture item, wherein the furniture item is assembled from the plurality of parts; and   e) re-packing the furniture item, wherein the assembled furniture item is re-packaged with the plurality of packaging pieces.   
     
     
         2 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 re-shipping the furniture item;   wherein the re-packaged furniture item is shipped from the reseller location to a customer location.   
     
     
         3 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boxes further comprises:
 a) a first box, comprising:
 a first packaging piece; and 
 a first set of furniture parts, wherein the first set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the first packaging piece; 
   b) a second box, comprising:
 a second packaging piece; and 
 a second set of furniture parts, wherein the second set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the second packaging piece; and 
   c) a third box, comprising:
 a third packaging piece; 
 a fourth packaging piece; and 
 a third set of furniture parts, wherein the third set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the third and fourth packaging pieces; 
   wherein the first, second, and third sets of furniture parts are configured to be assemblable as the furniture item;   such that the packaging pieces are configured to be reused as packaging for the furniture item, such that the first, second, third, and fourth packaging pieces are configured to cover outer surfaces of the furniture item.   
     
     
         4 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 3 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, and wherein:
 a) the first set of furniture parts comprises face parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a face panel, which is a part of a front side of the cabinet; 
 doors, which are part of the front side of the cabinet; and 
 a back panel; 
   b) the second set of furniture parts comprise gut parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a bottom panel; 
 a toe panel; and 
 parts for drawer boxes; and 
   c) the third set of furniture parts comprise side parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a right side; and 
 a left side. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 5 , wherein the second set of furniture parts further comprises a top panel. 
     
     
         7 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 3 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the first packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a top center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a top side of the cabinet;   b) a bottom center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a front face of the cabinet, such that a bottom side of the top center attachment piece is connected to a top side of the bottom center attachment piece;   c) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the top center attachment piece;   d) a top left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the top left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the top center attachment piece;   e) a top right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the top right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the top center attachment piece;   f) a bottom left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the bottom left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the bottom center attachment piece;   g) a bottom right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the bottom right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the bottom center attachment piece; and   h) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a bottom panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the bottom center attachment piece.   
     
     
         8 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 7 , wherein the connected pieces are connected by perforated borders. 
     
     
         9 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 3 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the second packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a bottom panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to be aligned with a back panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a toe panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece;   d) a bottom right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the bottom right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece;   e) a bottom left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the bottom left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece;   f) a top right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the top right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the top fold piece; and   g) a top left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the top left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the top fold piece.   
     
     
         10 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 3 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the third packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a left panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the left panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece;   d) a right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a front side of the cabinet, such that the right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece; and   e) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the left panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece.   
     
     
         11 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 3 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the fourth packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a right panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the right panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece;   d) a left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a front side of the cabinet, such that the left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece; and   e) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the right panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece.   
     
     
         12 . A method for flat packing furniture, comprising:
 a) flat packing a furniture item, wherein a plurality of parts for the furniture item are flat packaged inside a plurality of packaging pieces, producing a plurality of boxes;   b) shipping the flat packed furniture item, wherein the plurality of boxes is shipped from a manufacturing location to a reseller location;   c) unpacking the flat packed furniture item, wherein the plurality of parts, comprising a plurality of sets of furniture parts, is unpackaged from the plurality of boxes;   d) assembling the furniture item, wherein the furniture item is assembled from the plurality of parts; and   e) re-packing the furniture item, wherein the assembled furniture item is re-packaged with the plurality of packaging pieces;   wherein the plurality of boxes further comprises:
 a first box, comprising:
 a first packaging piece; and 
 a first set of furniture parts, wherein the first set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the first packaging piece; 
 
 a second box, comprising:
 a second packaging piece; and 
 a second set of furniture parts, wherein the second set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the second packaging piece; and 
 
 a third box, comprising:
 a third packaging piece; 
 a fourth packaging piece; and 
 a third set of furniture parts, wherein the third set of furniture parts is flat packed inside the third and fourth packaging pieces; 
 
   wherein the first, second, and third sets of furniture parts are configured to be assemblable as the furniture item;   such that the packaging pieces are configured to be reused as packaging for the furniture item, such that the packaging pieces are configured to cover outer surfaces of the furniture item.   
     
     
         13 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 re-shipping the furniture item;   wherein the re-packaged furniture item is shipped from the reseller location to a customer location.   
     
     
         14 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, and wherein:
 a) the first set of furniture parts comprises face parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a face panel, which is a part of a front side of the cabinet; 
 doors, which are part of the front side of the cabinet; and 
 a back panel; 
   b) the second set of furniture parts comprise gut parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a bottom panel; 
 a toe panel; and 
 parts for drawer boxes; and 
   c) the third set of furniture parts comprise side parts of the cabinet, comprising:
 a right side; and 
 a left side. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 14 , wherein the second set of furniture parts further comprises a top panel. 
     
     
         16 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the first packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a top center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a top side of the cabinet;   b) a bottom center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a front face of the cabinet, such that a bottom side of the top center attachment piece is connected to a top side of the bottom center attachment piece;   c) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the top center attachment piece;   d) a top left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the top left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the top center attachment piece;   e) a top right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the top right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the top center attachment piece;   f) a bottom left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the bottom left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the bottom center attachment piece;   g) a bottom right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the bottom right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the bottom center attachment piece; and   h) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a bottom panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the bottom center attachment piece.   
     
     
         17 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 16 , wherein the connected pieces are connected by perforated borders. 
     
     
         18 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the second packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a bottom panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to be aligned with a back panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a toe panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece;   d) a bottom right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the bottom right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece;   e) a bottom left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the bottom left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece;   f) a top right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a right side of the cabinet, such that the top right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the top fold piece; and   g) a top left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a left side of the cabinet, such that the top left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the top fold piece.   
     
     
         19 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the third packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a left panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the left panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece;   d) a right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a front side of the cabinet, such that the right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece; and   e) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the left panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece.   
     
     
         20 . The method for flat packing furniture of  claim 12 , wherein the furniture item is a cabinet, wherein the fourth packaging piece comprises connected pieces, comprising:
 a) a center attachment piece, which is configured to be aligned with a right panel of the cabinet;   b) a top fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the right panel of the cabinet, such that the top fold piece is connected to a top side of the center attachment piece;   c) a right side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a back panel of the cabinet, such that the right side fold piece is connected to a right side of the center attachment piece;   d) a left side fold piece, which is configured to fold onto a front side of the cabinet, such that the left side fold piece is connected to a left side of the center attachment piece; and   e) a bottom fold piece, which is configured to fold back onto an inner side of the right panel of the cabinet, such that the bottom fold piece is connected to a bottom side of the center attachment piece.