Packing brace

Abstract

A packing brace for a bubble-packaged product attached to a placard. The packing brace is made from a single elongated sheet of corrugated board having a front paper sheet and a rear paper sheet with corrugated paper in between. The rear paper sheet is used as a transverse hinge for folding the sheet in half. The front paper sheet and corrugations of the corrugated board are cut to define protective flaps for protecting the bubble package. The rear paper sheet and corrugations are cut to make flexible flap hinges for the protective flaps. In use, the placard is placed between the front and rear folded halves with the bubble package positioned within an opening in the front fold half engaging the protective flaps.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A packaging brace for a bubble packaging product on a placard, the packaging brace comprising:
 a. a single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper having a front sheet, a rear sheet, and corrugations between said front sheet and said rear sheet;   b. a transverse cut through said top sheet and said corrugations configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet;   c. a first plurality of transverse and longitudinal cuts through said front sheet, said corrugations, and said rear sheet creating first, second, and third sides of each of four rectangular flaps and defining an opening through which said bubble packaging may be received; and   d. a second plurality of transverse and longitudinal cuts through said rear sheet and said corrugations configuring flexible hinges on fourth sides of each of said four flaps.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said first plurality of cuts comprise seven cuts. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said second plurality of cuts comprises four cuts. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , comprising transverse corrugations. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , comprising longitudinal corrugations. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said transverse cut configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet enables folding said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper in half. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a length greater than a twice a length of said placard. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging brace of  claim 1 , wherein said rear sheet is non-abrasive to the surface of the placard. 
     
     
         11 . A packaging brace for a bubble packaging product on a placard, the packaging brace comprising:
 a. a single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper having a front sheet, a rear sheet, and corrugations between said front sheet and said rear sheet;   b. a transverse cut through said top sheet and said corrugations configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet;   c. seven transverse and longitudinal cuts through said front sheet, said corrugations, and said rear sheet creating first, second, and third sides of each of four rectangular flaps and defining an opening through which said bubble packaging may be received;   d. four transverse and longitudinal cuts through said rear sheet and said corrugations configuring flexible hinges on fourth sides of each of said four flaps;   e. one of:
 i. transverse corrugations; and 
 ii. longitudinal corrugations. 
   
     
     
         12 . The packaging brace of  claim 11 , wherein said transverse cut configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet enables folding said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper in half. 
     
     
         13 . The packaging brace of  claim 11 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging brace of  claim 11 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging brace of  claim 11 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a length greater than a twice a length of said placard. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging brace of  claim 11 , wherein said rear sheet is non-abrasive to the surface of the placard. 
     
     
         17 . A packaging brace for a bubble packaging product on a placard, the packaging brace comprising:
 a. a single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper having a front sheet, a rear sheet, and corrugations between said front sheet and said rear sheet;   b. a transverse cut through said top sheet and said corrugations configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet;   c. seven transverse and longitudinal cuts through said front sheet, said corrugations, and said rear sheet creating first, second, and third sides of each of four rectangular flaps and defining an opening through which said bubble packaging may be received;   d. four transverse and longitudinal cuts through said rear sheet and said corrugations configuring flexible hinges on fourth sides of each of said four flaps;   e. one of:
 i. transverse corrugations; and 
 ii. longitudinal corrugations; and 
   f. wherein said transverse cut configured to create a flexible hinge across said rear sheet enables folding said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper in half.   
     
     
         18 . The packaging brace of  claim 18 , wherein:
 a. said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard; and   b. said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a width greater than a width of said placard.   
     
     
         19 . The packaging brace of  claim 18 , wherein said single elongated rectangular sheet of corrugated paper has a length greater than a twice a length of said placard. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging brace of  claim 18 , wherein said rear sheet is non-abrasive to the surface of the placard.